Imagine if you could rest through the night without snoring, waking up, or grinding your teeth. You can! Dr. Abbey Lee and the team at Smiles for Grant Park in Atlanta, GA, will work with you to find a solution to your sleepless nights. If you suffer with obstructive sleep apnea, our team can help you get the rest you need. Read on to find out the incredible benefits of treating sleep apnea. 

What is Sleep Apnea? 

Before we discuss the benefits of treating sleep apnea, you must understand what the term means. Obstructive sleep apnea, or OSA, is a condition in which your breathing stops and restarts repeatedly throughout the night. 

When someone with OSA sleeps, his tongue and other soft tissues block his airway, so he literally stops breathing. These episodes, which can occur up to 90 times per hour, are called apnea. OSA will leave you chronically tired. 

This lack of sleep and oxygen can cause serious health issues, including:

• Heart Disease
• High Blood Pressure
• Weight Gain
• Increased Risk of Diabetes
• Increased Risk of Stroke
• Liver Issues
• Fatigue
• Mental Strain
• Impotence

Treating OSA could help you avoid some of these health issues and set you up for some amazing benefits. 

Benefits of Sleep Apnea Treatments

1. More Restful Sleep at Night 

Achieving eight to nine hours of restful sleep is the most obvious, and perhaps the most important, benefit to treating sleep apnea. Sleep is the foundation for much of our mental and physical health. Without the proper amount of sleep, we are more susceptible to illness, cognitive decline, and other serious health issues. 

2. Sleeping better can lead to fewer car accidents. 

Driving while tired can be worse than driving while intoxicated. When you wake up tired, you really can struggle with even the simplest tasks. Driving takes all your concentration. Even missing one hour of sleep can double the risk of crashing. With the right OSA treatment, you could end your sleepless nights and drive much more safely.

3. Lowers Cognitive Decline

Waking repeatedly in the night leads to a lack of rest and oxygen, which greatly affects your brain. Studies have shown that cognitive decline slows after OSA treatments. With the right OSA treatment, you will be more likely to get quality sleep and maintain good blood-oxygen levels to avoid cognitive decline. 

4. Lowers Your Risk of Cancer

Recent studies have shown that having sleep apnea may increase your chances of developing certain forms of cancer. These cancers include:

• Melanoma
• Uterine Cancer
• Kidney Cancer
• Breast Cancer

While doctors have yet to discover the link between sleep apnea and cancer, they believe it is tied to the increase of inflammation in our bodies, due to added stress on cells. 

5. Your Teeth Stay Healthier Longer

Bruxism, or grinding your teeth, remains a big issue for patients who struggle to sleep at night. WIth OSA, increased stress may  cause you to grind your teeth, wearing them down and creating other oral health concerns. Over time, the constant grinding weakens teeth and makes them more susceptible to tooth decay and tooth loss. 
If you still have questions about OSA or a sleep apnea treatment plan, visit Dr. Abbey Lee at Smiles for Grant Park in Atlanta, GA. Our team will work with you every step of the way. We offer customized oral appliances to treat mild to moderate cases of obstructive sleep apnea. Call us today at 404-328-7177 or make an appointment online.