Many people snore. Sometimes, you may snore when you’re experiencing allergy symptoms or have a head cold. But other times, individuals snore night after night. For chronic snorers, whether it’s a soft-sounding or loud snore, could signal underlying conditions that require medical treatment. You may be tempted to ignore your snoring, but doing so could significantly impact your overall health and well-being. So, today on the blog, our sleep apnea dentist in Franklin, Dr. Lee Palmer, DDS, shares six reasons snoring is scarier than you think.
First, here is a quick overview of what sleep apnea is and how to tell if you may have it. Sleep apnea is when the airways are partially or completely blocked, impeding airflow while sleeping. As air seeps past the soft tissue blocking the airway, the tissue vibrates and results in snoring. While sleep apnea may not sound like a big deal, it can lead to health implications that we outline below.
Weight Control
Many studies prove that snoring and weight gain are related. For instance, loud snorers are often overweight or struggle to lose weight and are more likely to have excess fat around their necks, restricting airflow. And snoring leads to frequent awakenings, which means that the body isn’t getting enough rest. Therefore, a lack of quality sleep often leads to weight control issues.
Morning Headaches
If you frequently wake up with headaches, it can be challenging to carry on with your day-to-day activities. Headaches can cloud your judgment, and affect your ability to concentrate, which could result in mistakes or accidents at work. Our Franklin area sleep apnea dentist explains that frequent headaches may be caused by snoring because your airways are blocked while sleeping, which restricts oxygenation in the blood, and reduces oxygen to the brain. You may reach for over-the-counter pain relievers to relieve your headaches, although that is simply a band-aid to the problem. Instead, the only way to truly address your chronic morning headaches is to receive sleep apnea management.
Daytime Fatigue
Feeling sluggish and fatigued seems common among adults. You may chalk it up to your daily responsibilities, kids, or stressful job, but snoring is another cause of chronic daytime fatigue. If you experience fatigue on the regular, even when you go to bed at a decent time and seem to clock enough hours in bed, then something else could be to blame. Sleep apnea robs you of the restful sleep that your body and brain need to repair. Without that quality sleep, you’re more likely to experience daytime fatigue day after day and no amount of coffee or caffeine can help.
Increased Snoring Intensity
You may initially only snore a little or maybe the sound of your snoring was tolerable at one point. However, ignoring the condition often leads to an increased intensity, which means that your condition is worsening, and so are its effects. Therefore, ask your sleep partner if they notice you snoring or if your snoring has worsened.
Health Risks
Studies link untreated sleep apnea to serious health consequences like an increased risk of heart disease, stroke, and insulin resistance because sleep apnea invokes an inflammatory response throughout the body. And chronic inflammation often results in chronic illnesses and diseases that could result in death.
Memory Loss
Oxygen is required for our brains to function at normal capacity. Therefore, if you snore, you’re robbing your brain, and your other internal organs, of the necessary oxygen it needs to repair and thrive at maximum capacity. As a result, snorers may have trouble concentrating and battle forgetfulness.
Sleep Apnea Treatment in Franklin and Thompson Station, Tennessee
These side effects of sleep apnea can seem scary, but thankfully, there are ways to manage your snoring. If you snore, you may be hesitant to see an airway dentist in Franklin because you do not want to wear a CPAP. But sleep apnea treatment does not have to be cumbersome and irritating, which is why Lee Palmer, DDS, prescribes an oral appliance to manage snoring and sleep apnea. If you would like to learn more about sleep apnea management or how to stop snoring, please call Lee Palmer, DDS, at (615) 794-0756.