Sleep Apnea & Sleep Deprivation
If you’ve ever gone through a night tossing and turning as you try to get to sleep, you probably know how difficult it can be to function the next day. You feel fatigued, have trouble concentrating, and are more likely to make mistakes.
Sleep apnea, a common but serious sleep disorder, can cause you to wake up multiple times every night. That means every day is a battle against sleep deprivation, and living in that state can have devastating effects on your life.
How a Lack of Sleep Affects Your Brain
The physical effects of a lack of sleep are noticeable as you try to go about your day. If you have sleep apnea, you may have become used to feeling tired without knowing why. Many people who have sleep apnea don’t remember waking up during the night.
Waking up often means your ability to enter REM sleep is disturbed. This is the stage of sleep when your brain is highly active and is linked to processing memories as well as other important functions.
Mental Health Connections to Sleep Apnea
Having your REM sleep disturbed constantly can have detrimental effects on your mental health. A variety of factors contribute to mental health disorders, but research shows that emotion-regulating chemicals in the brain are affected by a lack of REM sleep.
Sleep apnea puts you at a higher risk of developing depression and anxiety. The good news is, treatment for sleep apnea can also have a positive effect on these disorders.
We’ll Help You Get Back to Sleep
Dr. Roberta Garceau offers several sleep apnea treatment options, so you can choose the one that suits your lifestyle. Whether a CPAP machine, an oral appliance, or surgery, Dr. Garceau and our team are here to help.
To learn more about sleep apnea and treatment, contact our office by calling 860-254-6189. You can also fill out the convenient contact form below and we’ll get right back to you.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the connection between sleep and mental health?
Poor sleep has been shown to significantly worsen the symptoms of many mental health issues. Problems sleeping can be secondary to a medical illness such as sleep apnea, or a mental health condition like depression. In addition to affecting sleep itself, many medical and mental health conditions can be worsened by sleep-related problems.
Can sleep apnea cause anxiety?
Repeatedly losing sleep creates a sleep deficit, which can make it difficult to handle stressful situations and lead to possible anxiety. While there’s a definite connection between sleep apnea and anxiety, it’s often unclear whether the loss of sleep is causing anxiety or the anxiety itself is causing the disorder.
Unfortunately, it may also be a two-way connection. Patients who suffer from anxiety might be at a higher risk of developing a sleep disorder, such as sleep apnea. This means that if you treat one of the two conditions, you may be able to alleviate the other as well.
With an oral appliance, you can improve your anxiety without ever taking prescription medication. Contact our Hartford dental practice by calling 860-254-6189 and one of our knowledgeable team members will be happy to assist you.