Don’t Let Sleep Apnea Cut Your Life Short

Sleep apnea has been getting more and more attention in the past decade or so because it’s becoming pretty common in the U.S., but despite all the information about how dangerous it is, there are no reported cases of sleep apnea ever being fatal. However, research has shown that it strongly contributes to a wide range of conditions that can cut your life short.  

With sleep apnea, the danger isn’t just about being exhausted all the time, but your very life could be at stake—here’s how…

How Sleep Apnea Shortens Life Expectancy

There are literally thousands of pages of research that show when someone has untreated sleep apnea, they are several times more likely to experience the following (all of which can eventually be fatal):

• Heart attack
• Stroke
• Alzheimer’s disease
• Obesity
• Diabetes
• Motor vehicle/work accidents

Why is Sleep Apnea So Dangerous?

Many people think that the worst aspects of sleep apnea are that it can make you tired and snore all the time, but that’s just scratching the surface.

When a person experiences frequent interruptions in breathing brought on by the condition, it stresses the body immediately. A drop in oxygen causes blood pressure to skyrocket in order to move the limited amount of oxygenated blood through the body. Unfortunately, this increase can persist for several hours, even after someone has woken up. When it comes to heart attack and stroke, the most frequent precursor is persistently high blood pressure.

Constant sleep deprivation has also been shown to make people eat more calories, have stronger cravings for unhealthy foods, and lack the energy to exercise, all of which can contribute to obesity. Plus, these complications along with exhaustion can make managing someone’s blood sugar very difficult, a serious issue for people with diabetes.

And finally, driving while drowsy is even deadlier than being under the influence. Statistics from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) show that tens of thousands of wrecks occur due to drivers with untreated sleep apnea who nodded off behind the wheel, and multiple infamous trainwrecks were found to be caused by conductors with the condition as well.

A Ray of Hope

Despite all the bad news above, the silver lining is that sleep apnea is very treatable, and you don’t have to settle for CPAP therapy. Many people find that they can finally get their sleep under control, stop snoring, and safeguard their long-term health by simply getting a custom oral appliance from a dentist.

These are only worn to bed and slightly move the lower jaw to keep the airway open, allowing someone to breathe normally throughout the night and avoid all the downstream consequences of sleep apnea.

Your life doesn’t have to be dictated by or ended prematurely due to sleep apnea—a simple call to a sleep dentist might be all you need to guarantee you have many healthy and fulfilling years to look forward to.

About the Author

Dr. Sarah Pitarra is a graduate of the Baylor College of Dentistry as well as an active member of the Texas Dental Association and the Nueces Valley District Dental Society. She can help patients enjoy bright smiles as well as overcome sleep apnea using fully personalized appliances. To schedule a consultation with Dr. Pitarra and start getting better rest, simply click here or call (361) 855-7171.