Linking Your Heart and the Health Impacts of Sleep Apnea in Kaukauna

Sleep apnea can have damaging effects on your overall health. Not only can it cause problems because of the lack of sleep you and your partner will receive (snoring, gasping for air), but it can become dangerous when considering other health-related conditions such as diabetes, stroke, or heart disease. If you’re wondering how your difficulty sleeping can be related to your heart, let us explain the health impacts of sleep apnea in Kaukauna.

What is Sleep Apnea?

If you or your partner has noticed that you quit breathing repeatedly throughout the night, it is probably because you are experiencing sleep apnea. There are three types:

• Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA): Occurs when the airway is completely or partially blocked during sleep, and it is the most common.
• Central Sleep Apnea (CSA): Occurs when there is a breakdown of communication between the brain and the muscles that control your breathing.
• Mixed Sleep Apnea (MSA): Occurs when there is a combination of both OSA and CSA.

Whether you wake up once or a hundred times each night, when the brain is deprived of oxygen, it sends a signal that wakes up the body. It will often cause the person suffering from sleep apnea in Kaukauna to jerk awake, yet never remember what occurred the next day.

How Does it Impact the Heart?

There is a connection between sleep apnea and obesity, which can also increase the amount of strain placed on the heart, especially when taking high blood pressure into account. When there is a sudden drop in blood oxygen levels, blood pressure can increase, as well as put additional strain on the cardiovascular system.

Since apnea can cause abnormal heart rhythm, this can increase your risk for a stroke, and if you are already at risk for heart disease, if your blood oxygen is and remains low, it can cause sudden death.

How Can it Be Treated?

There are multiple ways sleep apnea can be treated; however, some patients may not take to the typical continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy solution. Its bulky apparatus can make it difficult for some patients to get a good night’s rest, which is why there is another solution that may prove more beneficial.

Your dentist in Kaukauna may suggest a removable oral appliance called a Custom Oral Appliance Therapy (COAT). This is a small device that holds your tongue and lower jaw in place while you sleep. Customized to fit your needs, it looks similar to a nightguard that someone might wear to prevent teeth grinding or clenching. Less expensive than a CPAP, it is more comfortable and very effective.

Don’t let sleep apnea keep you from staying healthy. Take control of your health, and talk to your dentist about sleep apnea therapy treatment. While you may think it is only affecting your sleep, it can cause significant damage to your overall health, so don’t wait!

About the Practice
At Dental Expressions, our expert dental team consisting of Drs. Robert and Heather Heil offer the type of experience you can count on. Do you suffer from sleep apnea? Dr. Robert Heil is qualified to diagnose and treat it, helping you to receive better rest. To learn more about us, or to find out how we can help you, visit our website or call (920) 788-6280.