When it comes to maintaining a healthy body, getting enough sleep is key. It can help regulate your mood, improve energy levels, regulate your blood sugar, restore your immune system, and more. So, if you have a sleep disorder, this can have a serious impact on your life. Sleep apnea is a common sleep issue with many people suffering from it. But is this condition on the rise? Keep reading to learn if having sleep apnea is becoming more common.
What Is Sleep Apnea
Sleep apnea is a serious disorder that causes your breathing to become shallow or completely pause while you’re asleep. These pauses sometimes last 10 seconds or longer, and they can happen as often as 30 times per hour.
When this happens, you have to wake up to normalize your breathing. Since this causes you to exit deep sleep, you’ll be missing out on much-needed rest. This condition affects many people, but diagnosing it can be tricky.
Why Is Sleep Apnea on the Rise?
Since it’s hard to diagnose sleep apnea, how can we know if it’s on the rise? There are a variety of things that can cause sleep apnea with obesity being the most common.
Fat accumulation in the neck increases its circumference, which causes the airway to become narrower. This increases pressure and can cause the airway to partially collapse while you sleep. Since obesity rates are rising both in the United States and abroad, it’s no surprise that sleep apnea diagnoses are becoming more common.
Other notable contributors to sleep apnea include smoking cigarettes, excessive alcohol consumption, family history, and existing medical conditions. Fortunately, members of the medical community are becoming increasingly adept at diagnosing and treating this condition.
Tips for Lowering Your Risk of Sleep Apnea
Fortunately, there are many ways to lower your risk of developing sleep apnea. This will also protect you from potentially serious health concerns, including heart disease, diabetes, and chronic fatigue. A few ways to lessen your chances of sleep apnea include:
- Cut out potential disruptions, like loud noises or a bad bedtime routine
- Exercise and eat a balanced diet to maintain a healthy weight
- Don’t smoke cigarettes or use tobacco products
- Sleep on your side rather than your back
- Avoid excessive alcohol consumption
- Be mindful of certain medications
- Attend a sleep study
About the Practice
Dr. Sara Saba is a dentist based in Silver Spring who takes pride in giving her patients an exceptional office experience. She leads the team at Exceptional Dentistry and offers treatments to help patients overcome sleep apnea. This will allow them to sleep through the night so they can have the energy they need to get through the day. To make an appointment with Dr. Sara Saba and her team at Exceptional Dentistry or for more information on sleep apnea treatment, call their office at (301) 871-6660 or visit their website.