Category: Sleep Apnea

Getting a Good Night’s Sleep is Important | Glen Burnie Sleep Apnea Treatment

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Everyone needs between 7 and 8 hours of sleep at the end of the day, but individuals with sleep apnea often have difficulty sleeping well on a regular basis. Obstructive sleep apnea involves repeated episodes of partial or complete obstruction of the upper airway while sleeping. These episodes may occur anywhere between five and one hundred times per hour, depending on the individual. Having more than 30 to 40 breathing interruptions during sleep is considered severe and should be taken seriously.

The number of Americans with sleep apnea is estimated to be as high as 50 million. When left untreated, sleep disorders can contribute to other serious health problems, such as high blood pressure, heart disease, and stroke. We can assist you if you believe you may be suffering from sleep apnea.

Solutions tailored to your needs

As with any medical condition, treatment for sleep apnea is determined by the factors underlying the condition and its severity. The treatment recommendations will differ depending on the severity of your condition. If the condition is mild, a special mouthpiece or oral appliance may be the most effective treatment for maintaining a natural airway. The use of continuous positive airway pressure or CPAP therapy may be indicated in more severe cases. The CPAP machine delivers forced air through a tube and a mask or nose piece in order to maintain a steady oxygen flow during sleep.

Changes in lifestyle may be helpful in treating sleep apnea.

A person who is overweight may accumulate fat around their neck, potentially obstructing their breathing and contributing to sleep apnea. Your doctor may therefore recommend a combination of dietary changes and exercise to assist you in losing weight. A healthy diet and exercising on a regular basis are excellent ways to not only lose weight, but to also ensure you are healthy. In most cases, this alone can significantly improve and often completely eliminate sleep disorders. There may be a need for surgery in some cases.

We can conduct a brief screening in our office if you are experiencing snoring or other symptoms of obstructive sleep apnea in order to determine whether you need treatment. We invite you to contact our office today to learn how you can take control of your health and start sleeping better at night. Please feel free to contact us with any questions you may have.

Chesapeake Sleep Center
Phone: 410-729-6794
7711 Quarterfield Road, Suite C-1
Glen Burnie, MD 21061

The Most Effective Way to End a Sleep Divorce | Sleep Apnea Symptoms Glen Burnie

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Across the country, a significant percentage of couples struggle with their partner’s disruptive snoring habit. Snoring that consistently causes you or your partner to lose sleep may be an indication of sleep apnea. As a result of this sleep-disordered breathing problem, some couples feel they have no choice but to resort to a “sleep divorce” in order to get some sleep at night.

Couples who cannot share the same bed or bedroom due to disruptive sleeping habits experience a sleep divorce. Separate sleeping spaces may result in a better night’s sleep, but they don’t address the disruption itself.

There are more effective solutions available to address issues related to snoring and sleep apnea as sleep medicine technology advances. As a result of these interceptive solutions, both partners are able to get a good night’s sleep. Getting a custom dental sleep apnea appliance from a sleep dentistry provider can help you end your sleep divorce.

Exactly What is Sleep Apnea?

An individual with obstructive sleep apnea may experience interrupted breathing or may stop breathing altogether during sleep. Snoring is one of the most recognizable symptoms, but fatigue, depression, enlarged tonsils, a large neck circumference, worn or flat teeth, and weight gain are also warning signs.

There is more danger in sleep apnea than it seems. Health issues such as heart disease, stroke, and fatigue throughout the day are directly linked to it. In the case of sleep apnea, it is best to treat it from a functional and overall health standpoint.

Sleep Apnea Treatment Options: What Are They?

Sleep apnea therapy begins with an initial consultation with a health professional (such as a dentist or sleep physician) to assess specific warning signs and symptoms. In severe cases of sleep apnea, surgery or the use of a CPAP machine is required; however, custom-fitted oral sleep appliances are a more common treatment. Using a dental sleep appliance positions your jaw slightly forward, reducing soft tissue obstructions at the back of your throat. During sleep, this natural increase in airflow reduces or eliminates snoring.

If you or your partner are experiencing or considering a sleep divorce due to snoring, it is important to treat the problem at its source. Our office can help you get back to restful sleep with a sleep apnea screening and consultation. Contact us today to schedule an appointment. We are here for you.

Quarterfield Dental Arts of Glen Burnie
Phone: 410-760-4445
7711 Quarterfield Rd., Suite C-1
Glen Burnie, MD 21061

Is Sleep Apnea Giving you Nightmares? | Sleep Apnea in Glen Burnie MD

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People with sleep apnea rarely dream since they never reach the deeper stages of sleep where dreams occur. In spite of this, even if you suffer from sleep apnea, you may still dream—and if you do, you may experience a frightening nightmare. Have you been experiencing more vivid dreams than usual lately? Find out the truth about sleep apnea nightmares and why treatment is essential.

Nightmares and Sleep Apnea

There has been a correlation between nightmares and obstructive sleep apnea (the most common form of sleep apnea, which occurs when the airway is physically blocked). A mild sleep disorder may allow the individual to experience nightmares more often than someone without a sleep disorder. The reason for this is probably the suffocation that you will naturally experience due to sleep apnea interfering with your breathing. Without enough oxygen, the body experiences a great deal of stress, and that stress may manifest itself in dreams. Sleep apnea nightmares are not only more vivid than normal, but they also become more unpleasant with increasing severity.

The Problem of Sleep Apnea Nightmares

Health problems such as heart conditions can be caused by sleep apnea. In a sense, nightmares associated with sleep apnea can also adversely affect your health. An unpleasant dream can negatively affect the rest of your day. As sleep apnea can already be associated with an increased risk of anxiety and depression, having nightmares on top of that can exacerbate these problems.

How to Improve Your Dreams

Sleep apnea nightmares can be eliminated by treating your sleep apnea. A sleep study is necessary before you can be diagnosed with the disorder. After that, you will need to speak with a sleep expert about your treatment options. For mild or moderate cases of sleep apnea, an oral appliance is often sufficient instead of CPAP therapy. You may also be suffering from sleep apnea as a result of certain lifestyle choices. Avoid alcoholic beverages that can relax your throat muscles and sleep on your side instead of your back so that your tissues in your mouth do not fall back on your airway.

Bad dreams are another way sleep apnea can disrupt your life. Like many of the other symptoms associated with the disorder, you can overcome the problem by contacting a sleep apnea specialist as soon as possible. Our office specializes in treating sleep apnea. Contact us today to schedule a sleep apnea consultation.

Chesapeake Sleep Center
Phone: 410-729-6794
7711 Quarterfield Road, Suite C-1
Glen Burnie, MD 21061

How Sleep Apnea Can Affect Your Relationship | 21061 Sleep Apnea

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Sleep apnea is a relatively common condition in which sufferers stop breathing multiple times throughout the night because of an obstruction in their airways. The blockage can cause sleep apnea sufferers to snore too-and poor sleep quality and snoring affect more than just how you feel the next day. Many sleep apnea patients report damage to their relationships. Read on to discover four reasons why.

1. Disturbing your partner’s sleep.

People who snore as a consequence of sleep apnea don’t do so lightly. Loud, chronic snoring is associated with this condition—the kind that can wake someone up one room away. If you’re sawing loud logs night after night, your partner probably doesn’t sleep much. Perhaps they have moved to a room in another part of the house to escape the noise. In spite of this, research shows that sleeping in the same bed as your partner has numerous benefits, such as decreased stress.

2. After a long night, you’re both grumpy.

Say your partner didn’t move into the next room to escape your snores, so they were awake for hours on end. People with sleep apnea can stop breathing and briefly awaken hundreds of times throughout the night, even if they don’t notice. It means you’ll both wake up groggy and not feeling great—and you’re likely to bring that negative energy into your relationship as well. As a result of inadequate sleep, you may have trouble regulating your emotions, causing you to lash out at your partner over things that you wouldn’t normally do.

3. Not Seeking Treatment

Another way sleep apnea can affect a relationship is if the sufferer knows he or she has a problem but refuses to take action. Have you ever considered the possibility that your dentist may be able to assist you in getting diagnosed and treated? They are the experts in all things related to your mouth, so they are the ones to consult for snoring and sleep issues.

4. Not receiving the appropriate treatment for sleep apnea

Finally, you may have sought treatment but have not found the right solution. For a long time, CPAP machines, or masks worn over the mouth during sleep, were the most common solution for snoring and sleep apnea. It is, however, a very loud and unattractive machine. With today’s sleep apnea treatments, you and your partner can both get the rest you need each night while sleeping in the same bed.

Consider seeing your dentist if any of these resonate with you. Please do not hesitate to contact us. It is time to get some relief for you and your partner!

Our sleep apnea office is dedicated to helping patients overcome sleep apnea and enjoy uninterrupted sleep once again. Contact us today to schedule your sleep apnea consultation.

Chesapeake Sleep Center
Phone: 410-729-6794
7711 Quarterfield Road, Suite C-1
Glen Burnie, MD 21061

Diet for Sleep Apnea | Glen Burnie MD Sleep Apnea Treatment

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The problem of snoring is a significant one, but it is not always perceived as such. There is a high probability that you have sleep apnea if you snore regularly and loudly while you sleep. You should be aware that the chances of getting sleep apnea increase as your weight and age increase. The accumulation of fat around the neck makes it difficult to breathe normally. Therefore, a diet for sleep apnea should be considered.

There is one more obvious reason to control your diet if you suffer from snoring. A person who snores is more likely to develop other health problems, such as diabetes. Consequently, sleep apnea patients should avoid foods high in cholesterol, carbohydrates, saturated fats, and other pseudo-nutrients. Often, sleep apnea can be reduced or eliminated by correcting the diet. Let’s examine the magic list of foods you must consume in order to address this issue.

Key features of the sleep apnea diet plan

Sleep quality is critical. When you’re tired, you may crave more food and don’t feel satisfied when you eat it. There is a high rate of overweight patients with sleep apnea. It is for this reason that diet and sleep apnea go hand in hand. When you avoid alcohol, refined sugars, red meat, and processed foods and choose lighter natural foods, you are more likely to succeed in overcoming the latter.

Maintaining a plant-based diet will be beneficial for sleep apnea patients. Fruits, vegetables, nuts, legumes, and cereals are sources of nutrients that are long-lasting and do not require a great deal of energy to digest.

If you can’t live without meat, choose poultry and fish over beef and pork since they’re easier to digest. By losing even 10% of body weight, sleep apnea severity can be reduced by 30%–50%. In addition, physical activity burns more calories than just observing the sleep apnea diet plan.

The importance of diet and exercise in treating sleep apnea

There is no need to explain the importance of physical activity. However, when you suffer from sleep apnea, exercise is not just a recommendation, it is a necessity.

The sound of snoring signals a lack of oxygen in the body. Our organs receive more oxygen when we exercise because exercise increases blood flow. The exercises you do for apnea do not have to be anything special, as long as they are regular and varied.

Sleep specialists recommend concentrating on the neck and legs when performing apnea cure exercises. In these areas, fluid accumulates, causing pressure on surrounding vessels and blood flow. Sleep apnea dieting and exercise can be used as effective at-home methods to improve sleep quality and partially combat the disorder.

It is important to remember that snoring can become a serious problem. If this bothers you or your loved ones, you may want to consider consulting a specialist. Our office specializes in treating sleep apnea. Contact us today to schedule a consultation.

Chesapeake Sleep Center
Phone: 410-729-6794
7711 Quarterfield Road, Suite C-1
Glen Burnie, MD 21061

How Do Mild and Severe Obstructive Sleep Apnea Differ? | Chesapeake Sleep Center Glen Burnie MD

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During sleep, obstructive sleep apnea causes your airway to become blocked multiple times, causing you to stop breathing. Not only does this weaken your immune system and increase your risk for chronic disease, but it can also shorten your life expectancy.

A patient can be diagnosed with different types of sleep apnea. What is the difference between mild and severe obstructive sleep apnea?

Mild sleep apnea characteristics
An individual suffering from mild sleep apnea experiences between five and fourteen cessations of breathing every hour. Considering that the average person sleeps 8 hours a night, this means you may stop breathing over 100 times! Symptoms of mild sleep apnea may also include fatigue during the day and snoring at night.

Your partner may notice that you sleep restlessly or wake frequently during the night. Most people with sleep apnea have no recollection of these periods of being unable to breathe. Despite its mildness, this form of obstructive sleep apnea still requires treatment.

Symptoms of severe sleep apnea
People with severe sleep apnea stop breathing 30 times or more every hour while they are sleeping. In other words, they may stop breathing almost 250 times during the course of the night. Snoring, fatigue, and restless sleep may be more pronounced in people with severe sleep apnea than in those with mild sleep apnea.

As a result of severe sleep apnea, you are also more likely to suffer from other health problems associated with obstructive sleep apnea, such as headaches upon awakening, fatigue during the day, and even depression. A specialist should be consulted if you have severe sleep apnea.

Diagnosis and Treatment
Your level of obstructive sleep apnea may be influenced by any additional medical conditions you may have as well as your level of fatigue. Sleep studies, which typically take place overnight, are the most common method of diagnosing sleep apnea. Symptoms of this disorder can be discussed with your dentist, and they may refer you to a sleep specialist.

In the past, continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machines were considered the only way to treat sleep apnea. Thanks to modern advances in treatment, most types of sleep apnea can now be treated with oral sleep appliances. These devices are similar to retainers in terms of fit and are easy to wear and travel with. Moreover, they provide relief from your symptoms of sleep apnea, allowing your life to return to normal.

Have you been experiencing any symptoms of sleep apnea? In order to achieve a better night’s sleep, our dental office can assist you in obtaining a proper diagnosis. We can help you determine if mild or severe obstructive sleep apnea is affecting your life and health by examining your symptoms. Contact us today to schedule a consultation.

Chesapeake Sleep Center
Phone: 410-729-6794
7711 Quarterfield Road, Suite C-1
Glen Burnie, MD 21061

The Benefits of Using an Oral Appliance to Treat Sleep Apnea | Glen Burnie Sleep Apnea Treatment

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You may have been prescribed a CPAP machine if your doctor diagnosed you with sleep apnea. CPAP stands for continuous positive airway pressure, and the machine blows forced air into your lungs through a mask.

Most people do not adjust well to wearing a CPAP mask and may even give up trying to treat their sleep apnea. Alternatively, you may be able to keep your airway open while sleeping by wearing an oral appliance.

Sleep apnea symptoms
Sleep apnea affects between 9 and 24% of adults, but 80% of moderate-to-severe cases remain undiagnosed. One of the most obvious symptoms of sleep apnea is that you snore when you sleep. Snoring occurs because sleep apnea causes you to stop breathing several times per hour, causing you to gasp for air during sleep. 

However, other symptoms of sleep apnea are subtler and may be overlooked, especially if you sleep alone or your partner doesn’t report hearing you snore. Symptoms include:

  • The sensation of waking up with a dry mouth
  • Headaches in the morning
  • Having difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep (insomnia)
  • Excessive irritability
  • Hypersomnia (excessive sleepiness during the day)
  • Inability to pay attention.

Sleep apnea is a serious condition that requires treatment. When left untreated, sleep apnea can impair your productivity at work and increase your risk for car accidents due to daytime sleepiness. 

Sleep apnea, if left untreated, also increases your risk of developing insulin resistance or diabetes, high blood pressure, heart problems, and liver problems. 

Sleep apnea treatments
The most common method of treating sleep apnea is to use a device that helps you breathe when you sleep. Other than CPAP machines, bilevel positive airway pressure (BiPAP) machines are also commonly used, which provide higher pressure for inhalation and lower pressure for exhalation.

As many people find it difficult to adjust to both of these machines, oral appliances offer an alternative. In addition to keeping your airway open, these devices are worn during sleep. There are multiple types of oral appliances available, some of which aim to keep the throat open by moving your jaw forward.

Additionally, oral appliances are more portable than CPAP or BiPAP machines due to their ease of use. As a result, they are much easier to take along when traveling or sleeping somewhere other than at home. 

In addition to being completely silent, oral appliances have a significant advantage over CPAP machines. Although CPAPs have come a long way in terms of their noise levels, they are still very loud and may keep you and/or your sleep partner awake. 

Furthermore, oral appliances are easy to maintain. All you need to do is brush the appliance with a toothbrush every day while using a gentle toothpaste and water. Daily and weekly cleaning is required for CPAP machines.

If left untreated, sleep apnea can have severe consequences. It is likely that you will be surprised at how much better you feel after sleeping with an oral appliance. Our dental practice specializes in the treatment of individuals with sleep apnea. Contact our office to schedule a consultation so you can enjoy a good night’s sleep.

Chesapeake Sleep Center
Phone: 410-729-6794
7711 Quarterfield Road, Suite C-1
Glen Burnie, MD 21061

Sleep Apnea: 9 Signs to Watch Out For | Sleep Apnea Treatment Glen Burnie

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A lack of sleep affects more than your energy level and ability to function during the day. An inadequate amount of sleep may increase the risk of developing other health conditions such as heart disease and diabetes.

The most common sleep disorder is sleep apnea, in which your breathing stops and starts during sleep. It affects up to 18 million Americans, including children.

There are two basic kinds of sleep apnea.

Obstructive sleep apnea is the most common type of sleep apnea in which your airway becomes obstructed during sleep.

There are several factors that can increase your risk of developing obstructive sleep apnea, including:

  • Being overweight 
  • Your gender—men are more likely to be at risk than women.
  • Older age
  • Family history 
  • A small airway or some physical abnormality in the nose, throat, or other parts of the upper airway.
  • Allergies or other conditions that cause congestion.
  • Enlarged tonsils, which primarily affects children.
  • Medical conditions such as diabetes, stroke, and heart failure, as well as lifestyle choices such as smoking,

Central sleep apnea is most common in individuals with heart disease or neurological disorders.

Central sleep apnea happens when the brain fails to send the appropriate signals to the muscles to start breathing. While central sleep apnea is less common than obstructive sleep apnea, they do share some common signs and symptoms.

The Most Common Symptoms of Sleep Apnea

The nine most common signs of sleep apnea include:

  1. Loud snoring, which is most commonly seen in obstructive sleep apnea.
  2. There are times when your bed partner notices that you aren’t breathing.
  3. Wake up abruptly with shortness of breath, a symptom of central sleep apnea.
  4. Having a dry or sore throat when you wake up
  5. Difficulty staying asleep
  6. Daytime sleepiness, which can lead to work-related mishaps or traffic accidents.
  7. Problems with attention and concentration
  8. Getting up to urinate during the night
  9. Irritability

The body wants to breathe more than anything else, and it does everything it can to avoid closing your airway. Therefore, (people with sleep apnea) aren’t getting into deep stages of sleep where the airway relaxes and closes.

Sleep apnea is rarely fatal on its own. It can, however, increase the risk of high blood pressure, heart attack, stroke, obesity, and diabetes. The condition is also associated with worsening heart failure and irregular heartbeats. Sleep apnea can also complicate the treatment of chronic diseases.

Treatment of Sleep Apnea

Continuous positive airway pressure therapy (CPAP) is the gold standard for treating sleep apnea. Masks or other devices that fit over your nose or your nose and mouth are part of the CPAP system. The mask is connected to the machine’s motor by a tube, which blows air into it. When you breathe in, this increases air pressure in your throat, preventing your airway from collapsing.

Try these tips to lessen the severity of sleep apnea:

  • Sleeping in a different position so you’re not lying on your back
  • If you are overweight, you should lose weight.
  • Avoiding alcohol and sleep-inducing medications
  • Using nasal sprays or allergy medications to relieve congestion
  • Quitting smoking
  • You can keep your airways open by using a mouthpiece or dental appliance for mild cases.

If you believe that you may have sleep apnea, please contact our office to schedule a consultation. We will be happy to discuss some treatment options to help you get a good night’s rest.

Chesapeake Sleep Center
Phone: 410-729-6794
7711 Quarterfield Road, Suite C-1
Glen Burnie, MD 21061

Sleep Apnea Leading to Forgetfulness? | Sleep Apnea Glen Burnie

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Did you ever consider that memory loss, depression, and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) might all be connected?

Researchers have long known that memory and depression are linked, but now new research shows that people with obstructive sleep apnea have trouble remembering specific details about their lives, making them vulnerable to depression. With approximately 22 million people in the U.S. and 936 million worldwide suffering from sleep apnea, it is an issue that must be addressed.

Episodic Memory vs. Semantic Memory

For a better understanding of research, it is helpful to distinguish semantic memory from episodic memory. Throughout our lives, we acquire facts, meanings, and concepts about the world that make up our semantic memory. Among our semantic memories are names of states, objects, and different types of food. While semantic memory can be rooted in a personal context (such as a sibling’s name), it is consolidated in the mind as purely factual information. Episodic memory is our memory of events and experiences specific to our lives, also known as autobiographical memory. In episodic memory, the emotional charge and context usually remain.

For example, to distinguish between the two types of memory, a semantic memory could be the name of your first-grade teacher, whereas an episodic memory could be what it was like on the first day of first grade. There is an association between depression and lower semantic memory, which means that depressed patients are less able to remember specific details regarding events or experiences.

Diving Deeper into Research

Keeping in mind the literature supporting the link between depression and low semantic memory, researchers compared an assessment of adults with OSA to an assessment of healthy adults. They asked participants to recall certain autobiographical events from their childhood, early adulthood, and recent lives. Overgeneral memories were significantly more prevalent among those with OSA, 52.3% versus 18.9% among the control group. Even though their episodic memory was intact, they struggled to remember the specifics. The researchers noted that this was likely due to interrupted sleep patterns since research has shown that good sleep is necessary to consolidate memory. Although the exact correlation between sleep apnea, memory loss, and depression remains unclear, this study shared by our sleep apnea dentist in 21061 highlights the importance of further research to determine if treatment can make up for lost memories. The good news is that sleep apnea treatment improves some of the cognitive consequences of the disorder.

Depression symptoms

All of us need to evaluate our emotional well-being regularly, but it’s particularly important for those with (treated or untreated) sleep apnea. According to a 2014 study, 46% of people with OSA have depressive symptoms. The following are some of the most common signs of depression:

  • A persistent feeling of sadness
  • Feeling fatigued
  • Concentration and memory problems
  • Feelings of hopelessness and helplessness
  • Easily irritated
  • Overeating or loss of appetite
  • A constant feeling of anxiety
  • Thoughts or attempts at suicide

In combination with loud, persistent snoring, constant fatigue, and waking up gasping for air, depressive symptoms may point to obstructive sleep apnea, which can compromise your health overall.

The good news is that sleep apnea can be effectively treated. An appropriate diagnosis can be made by a specialist if you think you may have sleep apnea. If you are diagnosed, you will most likely be offered a CPAP or an oral appliance. While CPAP is the gold standard in sleep apnea treatment, it is not regarded as the most effective treatment due to low adherence among patients.

Please contact our sleep apnea office in Glen Burnie, MD today to schedule a consultation. Getting to the bottom of your sleep problems is the first step to figuring out the best treatment option for you.

Chesapeake Sleep Center
Phone: 410-729-6794
7711 Quarterfield Road, Suite C-1
Glen Burnie, MD 21061

Sleep Apnea and Your Mental Health | Sleep Apnea Glen Burnie MD

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Once we learn about chronic health conditions, it’s easy to fall down a rabbit hole. One such condition is obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). The condition is chronic since it occurs every time you sleep and can only be managed through therapy. The condition rarely goes away by itself.

During sleep, what appears to be a mechanical problem with breathing turns out to be much more complex in its effects on the rest of our bodies. You may not know, for example, that OSA, if left untreated, is associated with a wide array of chronic health conditions. People with OSA may develop a hidden case of high blood pressure. Similarly, untreated OSA can cause Type 2 diabetes.

Could OSA contribute to mental health problems as well? Sadly, the answer is yes.

Psychological effects of obstructive sleep apnea

For many years, research has been conducted to identify associations between OSA and mental health issues. According to recent studies, there is a clear link between OSA and mood disorders like depression.

In fact, OSA contributes to several mental health concerns besides major depression disorder (MDD), such as generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, substance abuse, and panic attacks.

Sleep apnea, and depression

There are often similarities in the symptoms experienced by people with MDD and OSA, such as:

  • Fatigue during the day
  • Concentration issues
  • excessive irritability
  • Gaining weight

Someone who complains of mental health issues such as depression may, after going through an OSA screening, discover that they also suffer from sleep apnea.

The VA conducted a large study that found people with MDD have a five-times greater chance of having OSA, with more than half of the OSA patients in their study meeting the criteria for MDD. It can also be the case with chronic insomnia, which is also well known to overlap with major depressive disorder (MDD).

Low serotonin levels appear to link both conditions, although in different ways. In the brain, serotonin is responsible for regulating mood, so low levels mean negative emotions. Serotonin also plays a role in the nerve function of the upper airway during sleep. Inadequate supply could play a role in the complex set of conditions leading to OSA.

Researchers from the VA study found that, despite controlling for obesity as a risk factor, OSA was associated with both mood disorders and anxiety disorders.

Sleep apnea, and anxiety

A person with OSA is nearly twice as likely to suffer from a generalized anxiety disorder. According to one study, the more severe the case of OSA, the higher the chance of anxiety symptoms. In fact, over two-thirds of people who dealt with anxiety also suffered from severe OSA.

Sleep apnea and mental health problems

Is there a way to move forward when an individual is diagnosed with OSA and depression or anxiety?

As a general rule, it is best to treat OSA as the primary condition, as it may contribute to depression and anxiety. There is a good chance that depressive or anxious symptoms will subside or even disappear once they are treated.

Additionally, certain antidepressant and anti-anxiety medications (such as benzodiazepines and other sedatives or hypnotics) can actually worsen an existing case of OSA. This might explain why your doctor may suggest at least starting with positive airway pressure (PAP) therapy (such as CPAP) before treating the mental health symptoms. According to research, CPAP use can reduce anxiety and depression severity, especially for women.

Make sure you don’t go at it alone.

It can be difficult to know when having one mental or physical health issue will lead to another, but this does happen. Unfortunately, chronic illness is like that. It is possible for one health issue to lead to another over time.

A person with OSA may suffer from problematic sleep caused by ongoing stress unrelated to their condition. A pandemic is an example of stress-induced insomnia and disturbed sleep affecting millions in 2020.

If you’re unsure about the source of your sleep problems, don’t guess why or ignore the symptoms. Consider consulting with your physician and a sleep apnea specialist. With their assistance, you can determine whether you have any mental or physical health concerns that need to be addressed. Our sleep apnea center in Glen Burnie, MD specializes in treating sleep apnea patients. To schedule an appointment, call our sleep apnea dentist in Glen Burnie today. Ultimately, figuring out the problem and treating it, as well as getting more sleep, are your top priorities.

Chesapeake Sleep Center
Phone: 410-729-6794
7711 Quarterfield Road, Suite C-1
Glen Burnie, MD 21061