If you have obstructive sleep apnea, your heart doesn’t necessarily stop during an apnea episode, but it does become more strained. As a result, this sleep disorder can negatively affect your cardiovascular health when left untreated. To learn more about the connection between sleep apnea and your heart, keep reading. You’ll see how a good night’s sleep can make all the difference!
Sleep Apnea & Cardiovascular Issues
A hefty body of research shows that patients with sleep apnea are more likely to develop symptoms related to poor cardiovascular health, such as:
- High blood pressure
- Arrhythmia (irregular heartbeats)
- Coronary artery disease
- Heart attack
- Stroke
The connection between sleep apnea and your heart might not be immediately obvious just based on these health issues, but it does make more sense once you know how apnea episodes affect cardiovascular function.
Sleep Apnea Symptoms that Contribute to Poor Heart Health
Obstructive sleep apnea is characterized by periodic pauses in breathing while you sleep. Overrelaxed oral tissue and muscle block the airway, making it difficult to maintain proper oxygen flow. These symptoms contribute to poor heart health in a number of ways, including:
- Low oxygen levels. When your breathing temporarily pauses during an apnea episode, oxygen levels in your blood drop. This can raise your blood pressure and cause inflammation in the blood vessels.
- Interrupted sleep. Because apnea episodes pull you out of deep sleep, your body doesn’t get the chance to re-energize itself properly. This puts a strain on your heart that can cause increasingly serious problems over time.
- Fight-or-flight. Low oxygen levels also trigger a fight-or-flight response that makes your brain release stress hormones. When this occurs chronically, your heart rate and blood pressure can remain elevated throughout the day.
Basically, poor sleep and oxygen quality takes a toll on how your body functions and makes your heart work harder, increasing your risk of disease.
Take Care of Your Heart by Improving Sleep Quality
If you have sleep apnea, one of the best things you can do to take care of your heart is to treat your condition. Depending on the severity of your symptoms, a qualified sleep dentist can help you breathe at night by providing you with an oral appliance, CPAP, or combination of the two. The sooner you start treatment, the more you can do to promote your heart health!
About the Author
Dr. Bernard L. Greenbaum has been practicing dentistry in Bethesda for over 25 years now. He’s a diplomate of the American Board of Dental Sleep Medicine, and as a sleep dentist who is well-recognized for his skills, regularly teaches local dentists, physicians, respiratory therapists, and sleep technicians about sleep apnea treatment. If you’d like to take care of your heart by treating your sleep apnea, Dr. Greenbaum is certainly qualified to help you do so! To contact his office for an appointment, call (301) 530-3600.