Sleep apnea can prevent you from getting quality slumber, which can cause you to feel excessively sleepy during the day. Unfortunately, that’s not even the worst of it; the disorder can also negatively impact your health in a number of ways – such as affecting your biological age. If you read on, you can learn more about the link between sleep apnea and accelerated aging.
What Happens When You Have Sleep Apnea?
When you have sleep apnea, your breathing is repeatedly interrupted during the night, often due to an obstruction of the airway. Depending on how severe the disorder is, there could be anywhere between 5 and 30 pauses in breathing each hour. The lack of air causes oxygen levels in the blood to flow, and the brain is forced to wake the body up so that breathing can resume.
Many people with sleep apnea end up feeling extremely drowsy during the day due to repeatedly being pulled out of the sleep cycle. They also tend to have high blood pressure as well as a higher risk for heart problems.
How Does Sleep Apnea Affect Aging?
There’s a difference between your chronological age and your biological age. While chronological age is simply how long you’ve been alive, biological age is a reflection of your health. A study performed at the University of Missouri-Columbia looked at the connection between sleep-disordered breathing and the biological aging process. It was found that people with untreated sleep apnea tend to age at a faster rate. Further study is needed to learn more about the mechanisms behind this relationship.
What Can You Do About Sleep Apnea and Accelerated Aging?
Fortunately, it’s possible to slow down – or even reverse – accelerated biological aging. Naturally, in order to do so, you will need to have your sleep apnea treated. Step one is to have the disorder diagnosed, which requires an at-home sleep test provided by your doctor.
Once it’s confirmed that you have sleep apnea, you can start figuring out the best way to treat it. If you would rather not use a CPAP machine, you may want to ask your dentist about getting an oral appliance. This simple device can help your breathing stay uninterrupted by improving the position of your tongue and/or your lower jawbone.
The most important thing about treating sleep apnea is that you need to act as quickly as possible as soon as you suspect that something is wrong with the quality of your slumber. The faster you can be treated, the easier it is to avoid the worst of the effects that sleep apnea can have on your body.
About the Author
Dr. Rashpal Deol began his dental career in India before eventually moving to the United States. He has earned certification in using the VIVOS sleep apnea therapy system, and he is pursuing Mastery with the American Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine. His San Ramon practice, Oak Ridge Dental, offers sleep apnea treatment along with various other services. To schedule a consultation with Dr. Deol, visit his website or call (925) 735-6190.
