Sounding the alarm on the effects of poor sleep quality: Underscoring the importance of airway treatment

The office of Mark A. Cruz, DDS, provides airway-focused dentistry. Many of the conditions and concerns that we treat can manifest as a lack of quality, uninterrupted sleep. In fact, persistent and unexplainable fatigue can be a “red flag” for obstructive sleep apnea. It is imperative to treat OSA and other forms of sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) before they threaten overall health.

Below, our team in Dana Point, California, is happy to highlight the importance of treating airway-related conditions sooner rather than later. We intimately understand what may happen when these problems are undiagnosed and not properly treated. Further, we can protect your health and well-being and avoid serious, negative consequences by restoring proper respiration, sleep, and more.

No. 1: Increased risk of accidents

According to research from the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, drivers who operate a vehicle after sleeping for fewer than five hours within a 24-hour period have a similar risk of being involved in a crash or accident as those who drive under the influence of alcohol. In addition to road accidents, a lack of continuous and restorative sleep can put you at increased risk of workplace accidents.

No. 2: Poor performance at school, on the job, in sports, etc., etc.

Sleep supports pretty much every system of the body and its respective functions. You or a family member’s academic, work, or sports performance (or any other areas where productivity and performance may be measured) can suffer due to insufficient sleep or interruptions to their sleep. When you perform professional or other cognitive tasks while exhausted, the neurons in your brain can become overworked. This results in impaired thinking, poor concentration, slowed reflexes, memory issues, and mood-related disturbances – all of which can have an adverse impact on your productivity and performance at work and elsewhere.

No. 3: The emotional toll

Sleep disorders are also linked to an increased risk of anxiety and depression. In fact, in a 2019 analysis of multiple studies, researchers found that individuals with chronic and poorly managed insomnia had three times the risk of developing major depression compared to those without diagnosed sleep problems. A chronic lack of healthy sleep interferes with a particular type of deep and restorative slow-wave sleep. It’s thought this process can make individuals vulnerable to depression and other emotional and mental problems by weakening their “resiliency,” or the buffer of positive emotions that helps us to deal with distress and other challenges in our lives.

No. 4: Systemic disease

One of the biggest threats has to do with the connection between sleep quality and the organs, tissues, and systems of the body. Disordered sleep has been implicated in the development of everything from Type 2 diabetes and stroke to heart and kidney diseases and Alzheimer’s disease. For one, a chronic lack of quality sleep can stress the heart by not providing it with the “recovery” it needs from the strain that occurs during waking hours. The heart rate can skyrocket when your body doesn’t get the deep sleep it needs. Blood pressure follows suit. Poor sleep also doesn’t help existing conditions; for instance, it can present challenges to managing blood sugar among diabetics.

Apnea and other SDBs that we treat at the office of Mark A. Cruz, DDS, compound some of these effects. Insomnia and poor sleep alone can be damaging to your health and well-being. However, when poor sleep is caused by breathing interruptions at rest, it places tremendous stress on the body and its organs. Contact us today if you are concerned about still feeling tired despite keeping a reasonable bedtime. The conditions mentioned here and their associated consequences are certainly not something you want to “sleep” on. Call (949) 661-1006 to schedule a consultation with Dr. Cruz at our Dana Point, CA office.