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Sleep deprivation hurts the person with sleep apnea and the bed partner. Frequent waking, whether remembered or not, causes fitful sleep and prohibits therapeutic rest. A bed partner may lose an hour or more of sleep each night from sleeping next to a person with sleep apnea. Along with the apnea episodes, side effects like excessive sweating and a frequent need to urinate disrupt sleep.
Often, a person with sleep apnea will wake up feeling like they have not slept or have difficulty staying awake during the day. Some trickle-down effects of sleep deprivation include a compromised immune system, poor mental and emotional health, and irritability.
Oxygen deprivation
When you stop breathing, your brain does not get enough oxygen. Serious problems can result from the oxygen deprivation of sleep apnea, including heart disease, high blood pressure, sexual dysfunction, and learning/memory problems.
Depression and sleep apnea
Approximately one in five people who suffer from depression also suffer from sleep apnea, and people with sleep apnea are five times more likely to become depressed. Existing depression may also be worsened by sleep apnea. While it is not clear whether the apnea causes the depression or vice-versa, studies show that by treating sleep apnea symptoms, depression may be alleviated in some people
Treatment
At Smiles by Saby we take snoring seriously. Our first concern is your overall health. Prior to constructing a snoring appliance, we will give you a referral to a respiratory technologist for a sleep study. This take home study involves wearing a nose piece attached to a monitor to access your sleep. The study will let you know how often you snore, if and how often you stop breathing during the night.
If it is determined that you are suffering from sleep apnea, the first choice for treatment is CPAP machine. This machine blows a continuous positive air pressure through a nose piece. The positive air pressure ensures that adequate air is forced past the soft tissue obstructions.
Should you have mild sleep apnea, suffer only from snoring or are unable to wear a CPAP machine, Dr. Saby can create a custom snore appliance for you. We are currently using an appliance that holds the jaw slightly forward thereby preventing the tongue and soft tissues of the throat from collapsing into the airway. The appliance is based on the same principle as the jaw thrust in CPR. The airway must be open to allow air to pass through the throat. The snoring/apnea appliance consists of an upper and lower appliance that fits over the teeth. A hook mechanism attached to the upper tray fits a socket in the lower tray and positions the lower jaw forward preventing the soft tissue of the throat from collapsing and obstructing the airway. An adjustment key allows you to adjust the amount of forward positioning to the most effective and comfortable position.
For more information about snoring and sleep apnea or to schedule a complimentary consultation, contact our Red Deer practice.
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