The quality of your sleep can have a significant impact on your overall quality of life. When you don’t get enough of it, your mind and body can begin to suffer the consequences in the form of sleep deprivation, extreme exhaustion, and decreasing mental capacity. However, not just any sleep will do; your body needs to enter deep sleep (or R.E.M. sleep) to rest and rejuvenate properly. When you have obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), you might believe that you’re sleep soundly, yet the condition can make it impossible for you to enter R.E.M. sleep, which can have disastrous consequences on your overall health.
What Is Sleep Apnea?
The term, apnea, originates from a Greek word meaning “to stop breathing.” Appropriately, the condition involves a blockage in your airway caused by oral tissues that prevents you from breathing properly when you sleep. As you sleep, these tissues can collapse into your airway, completely blocking it until you stop breathing.
How Do I Know if I Have It?
The most common and notable symptom of sleep apnea is extremely loud snoring, which is caused by the obstruction in your airway. The more your airway becomes clogged, the louder your snoring becomes, until it stops once your airway is completely blocked. In addition to snoring, other symptoms include signs of sleep deprivation, increased frequency of illness (due to a weaker immune system), and more.
Learn More About Snoring and Sleep Apnea
If you have questions about sleep apnea and whether or not it may be interrupting your sleep, speak with your dentist during your next visit. To learn more, schedule an appointment by calling the Sunny Smiles dental office nearest you in El Paso, TX, today! We have offices in the East, Northeast, and Westside of El Paso, and happily welcome patients from all nearby communities, including Chaparral, Canutillo, Vinton, and Sunland Park, New Mexico.