Sleep apnea affects about a quarter of all adults. And that’s a problem, not just because sleep apnea means poorer sleep quality. When you live with sleep apnea, you put a strain on your body, often without even realizing it.
Fortunately, at our office in Downtown, Los Angeles, Silva A. Arejian, DDS, offers specialized treatment for sleep apnea. Instead of a bulky, inconvenient continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine, she can help you resolve your sleep apnea with a comfortable, custom-fitted oral appliance.
Why should you visit our office to get treatment for your sleep apnea? Let’s look at the toll this condition can take, especially if left unaddressed.
The short-term effects of sleep apnea
Your brain senses that something is wrong when you have sleep apnea. To correct your breathing, it continually wakes you. This waking might be very brief — so brief that you don’t notice it, in fact — but it still interferes with your sleep quality. This leaves you feeling tired and sluggish throughout the day.
It can make it hard to focus while you’re at work or while you’re driving, making these short-term effects problematic and potentially dangerous.
What’s more, you might also wake up with uncomfortable side effects like a headache or sore throat.
In the short term, sleep apnea can make it hard to function and feel your best. Your body needs solid rest to work the way it should. When it’s not getting a good night’s sleep, you feel it.
But these aren’t even the most pressing concerns surrounding sleep apnea. It’s important to understand what it can do to you over time.
The long-term effects of sleep apnea
Left untreated, obstructive sleep apnea is linked to a heightened risk for a number of serious health conditions. Those include:
- High blood pressure
- Diabetes
- Heart disease
- Acid reflux
- Asthma
- Irregular heartbeat
- Obesity
- Depression
Clearly, sleep apnea poses a serious risk to your overall health. In fact, studies have even connected sleep apnea and a shorter lifespan.
All told, this isn’t something you should ignore. If you always feel tired, notice that you wake up gasping for breath, or have a partner that complains of excessive snoring, you could be living with sleep apnea.
The good news? With a custom-fitted oral appliance, Dr. Arejian can correct your breathing at night, helping you get the good night’s rest your body needs.
If you think you might have sleep apnea or are interested in learning more about the oral appliances we offer, call our office or schedule your appointment with Dr. Arejian online today.