Have you recently noticed your sleep apnea symptoms worsening? While there are some ways to remedy your situation, there are certain habits and medications that might cause your breathing to remain interrupted. Keep reading to learn five factors that can make your condition worse and how a sleep dentist can help you get the rest you deserve.
5 Factors That Can Worsen Sleep Apnea
Even if you are currently undergoing therapy for treating your sleep apnea disorder, several things can end up holding back your progress. Here are five factors that can pose a complication to improving your rest:
- Sleep Position: Sleeping on your back can often cause the airway to become blocked during the night. By laying on your side, you can help reduce this issue, as your tongue or soft palate will be less likely to prevent you from breathing comfortably.
- Alcohol Consumption: This type of beverage can often relax the muscles in the body, which can then cause the tongue to fall back into your throat while you’re resting.
- Smoking: This habit can cause inflammation in the soft oral tissues in the airway due to irritation, which increases the risk of interrupted breathing.
- Medications: Certain pain relievers and sleep aids can end up relaxing the muscles in the airway. While they might be helpful for certain purposes, they can have consequences similar to alcohol in that it can be more difficult to treat sleep apnea.
- Obesity: Excess fat tissue can surround the airway, increasing the risk of interrupted breathing throughout the night. Furthermore, due to a lack of sufficient rest, sleep apnea can end up leading to further weight gain, which can create a harmful cycle to your overall health.
How Can a Sleep Dentist Help?
Knowing the kinds of habits and medications that can impact your sleep apnea disorder is one of the first steps to improving your situation. However, you’ll also want to seek treatment so that your progress can run smoothly. Make sure to consult with a sleep dentist so that they can help you address the issues that might be worsening your symptoms. Not only can they provide oral appliance therapy to help keep your airway unobstructed during rest, but they can also discuss changes in your medications with your healthcare provider or give you the resources/guidance needed to quit certain habits to the curb.
Improving your sleep apnea symptoms can be much easier than you think! As long as you address the root cause while also avoiding the habits and substances mentioned above, you’ll be on your way to getting the plentiful rest you need.
About the Author
Dr. Mitch Conditt studied at Baylor College of Dentistry and has been in the field for almost four decades. He later pursued an interest in sleep dentistry after being diagnosed with sleep apnea, and now strives to provide his patients with the same reliable and comfortable help he also needed. If you’d like to know more about sleep apnea therapy or wish to schedule a consultation, visit our website or give us a call at 817-527-8500.