Sleep Apnea: Are there health risks?
A common sleep disorder, obstructive sleep apnea involves the cessation of proper breathing for roughly 60 seconds at a time when soft oral tissues relax and block air passageways. When patients cease breathing for a few seconds, the brain will send signals for the body to wake slightly to reinstitute proper breathing. This condition results in a perpetual cycle of breathing cessation followed by slight wakefulness hundreds of times during a night. Because researchers have linked sleep apnea to other systemic health issues such as heart disease, stroke, depression, and diminished cognitive function, our oral surgeon offers non-surgical and surgical treatment for obstructive sleep apnea. Sleep apnea essentially robs a sleeper from achieving the deep rest needed to fully rejuvenate the body and its tissues. Furthermore, sleep apnea prevents a patient from achieving proper levels of rest and instead contributes to fatigue and sleep deprivation. Untreated sleep apnea leads to…