Sleep apnea generally causes poor sleep, and good sleep is essential for your body to be healthy and fully functioning. Sleep apnea can take a heavy toll on your physical and mental health in many ways.

Acid Reflux
Patients with existing cases of heartburn may experience worse acid reflux with sleep apnea.

Asthma
Sleep apnea directly affects breathing, so asthma symptoms may become more severe with sleep apnea.

Confusion
Lack of sleep can lead to poor focus and comprehension during even simple tasks throughout the day.

Decreased Libido
Sleep apnea may lead to less sexual desire. In men, erectile dysfunction may also occur.

Depression
Patients suffering from sleep apnea often report feeling depressed, especially since they may be unable to complete certain tasks due to lack of sleep.

Fatigue
Even after getting what seems to be a full night of sleep, a patient with sleep apnea will often feel drowsy during the day.

Heart Problems
Heart problems have been linked to sleep apnea, including irregular heart rhythm and heart failure.

High Blood Pressure
The risk of high blood pressure is increased in patients with sleep apnea, which can lead to even more difficulty breathing at night.

High Blood Sugar
Patients with sleep apnea are at a higher risk for developing type 2 diabetes, and those with diabetes already are at risk of developing sleep apnea.

High Cholesterol
Sleep apnea can cause poor appetite and eating habits, which can contribute to high cholesterol.

Low Oxygen Levels in Blood
Because sleep apnea causes breathing to stop during the night, a patient’s blood may not be getting adequate oxygen.

Memory Loss
Lack of sleep can cause a patient’s brain to feel “foggy” and create problems with both short- and long-term memory.

Weakened Immune System
Good sleep is important for overall physical health, and without adequate sleep, patients may be susceptible to illness and infection.

If you are suffering from any of these symptoms, there may be a solution. Restoring good sleep through sleep apnea treatment can often relieve or eliminate many of the above problems. We welcome you to learn more about the impact of sleep apnea in Staten Island, New York, by contacting Staten Island Dental Sleep Health at 718-356-9800. You can schedule a consultation with our sleep dentists, Dr. Ronald A. Rao and Dr. Mel Pearson, and find out what you can do to achieve a better night’s sleep and improve other symptoms.