I Wake Up Tired
I Wake Up Tired…
It is so frustrating to wake up and still feel tired even after you’ve had a full night’s rest. If you experience this regularly, you may be suffering from sleep apnea. This condition causes people to stop breathing many times throughout the night. It’s disruptive to your sleep and causes other negative health effects, too. When you’re not alert during the day, you may suffer numerous consequences, some of which can even be dangerous. Fortunately, if sleep apnea is causing your daytime drowsiness, treatment options are available to restore your energy, including CPAP alternatives.
How Sleep Apnea Interferes With Your Sleep
The apneic episodes occur when your airway opening is clogged by soft tissues at the back of the throat that go slack when you are in a reclined position. Your brain is aware that you have stopped breathing, and it wakes you briefly to resume a normal breathing pattern.
Typically, you are not even aware that this is going on, but it happens over and over while you are asleep, disrupting your rest. As a result, when you wake up, you will still feel tired even though you believe that you were asleep for eight hours.
Consequences Of Daytime Drowsiness
When you don’t get enough rest at night, you’ll probably be dragging throughout the day. Your performance at work or school may suffer, and you may become moody, irritable, and not fun for your friends and family to be around. Daytime drowsiness can even be hazardous because in some cases, driving while sufficiently sleepy is nearly as dangerous as driving drunk.
Daytime drowsiness isn’t the only concern related to sleep apnea, either. This condition appears to be associated with a higher risk of health issues including high blood pressure, heart disease, and Type-2 diabetes. Sleep apnea can also contribute to a compromised immune system, contributing to increased illnesses.
Get Your Energy Back With Sleep Apnea Treatment
Fortunately, sleep apnea responds well to treatment. Patients can wear a custom-designed oral appliance that is similar to wearing a mouthguard or a night splint. This type of appliance is an alternative to CPAP that keeps your jaw or tongue forward, which moves the soft tissues away from the airway opening while you sleep. This eliminates the obstruction that causes the apneic episodes, meaning that your sleep will no longer be disrupted and you won’t suffer the health effects of insufficient oxygen levels.
To eliminate excess fatigue during the day, visit our office for a sleep apnea evaluation and to get treatment so your quality of life and your health can both improve.
The Health Risks of Untreated Sleep Apnea
While many understand the inconvenience of interrupted sleep, the health implications of untreated sleep apnea extend far beyond mere daytime drowsiness. Sleep apnea is a silent aggressor, gradually affecting various facets of an individual's health both in the short term and long term.
Short-Term Health Risks:
- Cognitive Difficulties: Constant sleep interruptions can lead to challenges in focusing, thinking clearly, and remembering things, reducing an individual's overall cognitive function.
- Emotional and Mood Changes: A lack of restorative sleep can lead to mood swings, irritability, and an increased risk of depression.
- Reduced Immune Response: Sleep plays a crucial role in immune health. Regular disruptions can decrease the body's ability to fend off infections.
- Increased Accidents: Daytime fatigue can increase the risk of accidents, whether it's at the workplace or while driving, as concentration levels diminish.
Long-Term Health Risks:
- Cardiovascular Issues: Persistent sleep apnea has been linked with a range of heart issues including high blood pressure, arrhythmias, heart attacks, and even stroke.
- Weight Gain: There's a known link between sleep deprivation and weight gain. Hormonal imbalances can lead to increased appetite, specifically for high-calorie, sugary foods.
- Respiratory Complications: Over time, untreated sleep apnea can exacerbate conditions such as asthma.
- Diabetes: There's evidence that sleep apnea can increase insulin resistance, thus escalating the risk of type 2 diabetes.
- Complications with Medications and Surgeries: Sleep apnea can lead to complications post major surgeries due to breathing issues, especially if anesthesia is used.
Get Your Energy Back With Sleep Apnea Treatment
Fortunately, sleep apnea responds well to treatment, including CPAP alternatives. Patients can wear a custom-designed oral appliance that is similar to wearing a mouthguard or a night splint. This type of appliance keeps your jaw or tongue forward, which moves the soft tissues away from the airway opening while you sleep. This eliminates the obstruction that causes the apneic episodes, meaning that your sleep will no longer be disrupted and you won’t suffer the health effects of insufficient oxygen levels. To eliminate excess fatigue during the day, visit our office for a sleep apnea evaluation and to get treatment so your quality of life and your health can both improve.
What Our Patients Are Saying
Exceptional with the attention.
"Dr. Froning and the rest of the Sleep Center of Littleton team were exceptional with the attention and information I received during all of the appointments. I have experienced great benefits with the device and am getting better quality of sleep and decreased episodes of waking up at night."
- Gabriela Guzman
Ten out of ten stars!
"The people (Dr Froning, Alicia, Sarah, Lamar) are all outstanding! It is always a pleasure to see them or talk on the phone. I will HIGHLY recommend The Sleep Center to anyone thinking of going there. Ten out of ten stars!"
- Barb Loux
The team here was amazing.
"The team here was amazing, I’m so glad I got this device, Lamar was so helpful with everything and explained everything very well,I would definitely recommend them, this device saved my life."
- Jose Luna