Health Risks of Untreated Sleep Apnea

Sleep apnea seriously damages your health by depriving you of essential oxygen every night while you sleep. Symptoms include heavy snoring punctuated by loud gasping noises, depression, irritability, daytime fatigue, morning headaches, weight gain, and difficulty concentrating.

If you notice these symptoms in yourself or a loved one, call 503-391-9558 today and schedule your free consultation with Dr. Michelle Aldrich in Salem, OR. She’ll make sure you get the right diagnosis and effective treatment for your sleep apnea.

Sleep Apnea & Your Circulatory System

Your circulatory system includes your heart, lungs, blood vessels, and other organs that are responsible for delivering oxygenated blood throughout your body.

By reducing the amount of oxygen in your bloodstream, sleep apnea puts a tremendous strain on your heart, making it work harder to get enough oxygen to your brain and other vital organs. This dramatically increases your risk for heart disease and high blood pressure, as well as making you more likely to suffer a potentially fatal heart attack or stroke.

Sleep Apnea & Your Respiratory System

Your respiratory system includes your lungs and other organs that work together to take in oxygen and expel carbon dioxide. Patients with sleep apnea are more likely to suffer from respiratory problems such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

COPD is an umbrella term used to describe conditions that cause inflammation in the tubes that bring air to your lungs. This includes emphysema, chronic bronchitis, and non-reversible asthma.

Sleep Apnea & Weight Gain

Weight gain is a major cause of sleep apnea and losing weight is one of the best things you can do to ease the effects of sleep apnea. Unfortunately, sleep apnea makes it more difficult to lose weight by causing your metabolism to slow down.

Sleep apnea also makes patients more susceptible to weight gain by triggering your body to retain a chemical called ghrelin, a hormone that causes you to crave carbohydrates.

Your Sleep Dentist in Salem, OR

Dr. Michelle Aldrich is a Diplomate of the American Board of Dental Sleep Medicine (ABDSM) and a member of the American Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine. She’s an experienced sleep dentist who features a number of effective remedies for sleep apnea. For example, we offer a variety of small and convenient oral appliances for patients who are unhappy with their CPAP machine.

To learn more about our sleep apnea care, just give us a call. Or, fill in the handy submission form on this page and we’ll get right back to you.