Restful Nights, Healthy Days

Have you ever experienced those days when no amount of food seems to satisfy your hunger or when the urge to snack just won’t quit? It’s not merely a coincidence. One potential culprit? Inadequate sleep. When you’re sleep deprived, the feedback loops in your brain that regulate hunger hormones get thrown off balance, impeding your brain’s ability to regulate food intake properly. Though it's often relegated to the bottom of our to-do lists, recognizing the importance of sleep is crucial for maintaining good health!

This brings us to the importance of testing and screening for sleep apnea.

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a prevalent condition characterized by the relaxation or collapse of posterior throat tissues during sleep, obstructing airflow and causing breathing interruptions and episodes of low oxygen episodes overnight. Common symptoms of sleep apnea include snoring, gasping, restless sleep, frequent nighttime urination, excessive daytime sleepiness or fatigue, morning headaches, irritability, forgetfulness, and more.

The risk for sleep apnea is elevated in those with excess weight, larger neck circumference and posterior tongue size, all contributing to a greater likelihood of airway obstruction. Other risk factors for sleep apnea include being male, older age, family history, excess alcohol intake, smoking, diabetes, high cholesterol, and high blood pressure.

The consequences of untreated sleep apnea extend beyond feeling exhausted. The nightly drops in oxygen levels have a profound impact on your body, increasing the risk of insulin resistance or diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular disease such as stroke or heart attack, anxiety, depression, and weight gain due to disrupted sleep patterns.

The good news? Sleep apnea is treatable. Effective treatment with CPAP or oral appliances is important to mitigate the risks associated with sleep apnea. And now, we’re excited to offer home sleep apnea testing, making it easier than ever to assess your sleep health! Next time you’re in for an appointment, don’t hesitate to ask if our home sleep apnea testing is right for you. Taking proactive steps to address sleep apnea is key to safeguarding long-term health and wellbeing.

Author: Dr. Kendra FitzPatrick, DNP