Okemos, Lansing, East Lansing MI
Sleep apnea is a severe health condition that carries significant risks to your overall health and wellness. Not only does it affect your ability to stay awake and focus throughout the day, but it also takes a toll on your body, especially your brain. Scientists are beginning to understand the correlation between sleep patterns and brain function. Our Okemos sleep apnea dentist, Dr. Christine Tenaglia, shares on the blog today how sleep apnea affects your brain and what treatments are available to manage the condition.
The Connection
Researchers at UCLA report that obstructive sleep apnea can contribute to a blood-brain barrier breakdown. According to the associate professor of anesthesiology and UCLA Brain Research Institute member Rajesh Kumar Ph.D., “We found that the blood-brain barrier becomes more permeable in obstructive sleep apnea, a breakdown that could contribute to brain injury, as well as potentially enhancing or accelerating the damage.” As your body receives less oxygen or your blood pressure increases, your blood-brain barrier may fail, and you could suffer brain tissue injury.
Neurological Risks
Our East Lansing dentist that treats sleep apnea explains that limited oxygen supply caused by sleep apnea may impact your neurological system and create a disadvantage through poor cognitive function. For example, a study published by the National Library of Medicine states, “OSA may accelerate the onset of mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and might also represent an independent risk factor for Parkinson’s disease (PD).” Fortunately, sleep apnea treatment can minimize these risks.
Available Treatments
Obstructive sleep apnea treatments vary from one patient to another and depend on the type and severity of the condition. However, there are common treatments that can improve your oxygen consumption while you sleep and help you wake to feel rested and refreshed. Our Lansing airway dentist shares more information below about available treatment options.
- Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) – Continuous positive airway pressure is the traditional treatment for sleep apnea, where you wear a mask while sleeping that blows air through your airway. The result maintains an open airway and results in better quality, more restful sleep. However, wearing a CPAP machine can be uncomfortable, and it is noisy, which could keep your partner awake. Thankfully, there is a quieter, easier way to manage your sleep apnea.
- Oral Appliance Therapy – These custom-made devices are small, discreet, and user-friendly. The design holds the tongue and jaw in the optimum position to keep the airway passage open while you sleep. The custom oral appliance is more comfortable, compact, and less noisy than using a CPAP machine.
Sleep Apnea Treatment in Okemos, Lansing, and East Lansing, MI
Sleep apnea is a dangerous health condition that can cause multiple health complications and potentially cause brain damage. If you wake up with daily headaches, suffer from daytime drowsiness, experience moodiness, irritability, or feel tired and fatigued all of the time, now may be the best time to schedule an appointment for an airway evaluation in Okemos. Dr. Tenaglia may refer you for an official sleep study for further testing. Please feel free to call Tenaglia Smiles at (517) 347-6733 or contact us online to schedule a sleep apnea consultation today.