Side Effects of Positional Sleep Apnea

Do you often wake up gasping for air? If yes, you may be struggling with positional sleep apnea!

Obstructive sleep apnea is a sleep disorder which causes intermittent pauses in your breathing while you sleep. A person is said to have positional sleep apnea when the breathing events are doubled when they sleep on their back. This means that your sleeping position and posture are the factors that determine the frequency of occurrence of sleep apnea.

Repeatedly waking up due to sleep apnea can lead to different kinds of health problems and side effects, including:

• Irregular heartbeat
• Heart attack
• Risk of diabetes
• High blood pressure
• Heart arrhythmias
• Chronic headaches
• Stroke
• Obesity
• Sore Throat
• Waking up with a dry mouth
• Difficulty concentrating during the day
• Mood changes
• Decreased libido
• Change in position of jaw or teeth
• Snoring loudly and disturbing your own sleep or that of others
• Intermittent pauses in your breathing during sleep
• Waking up gasping or choking
• Excessive daytime drowsiness, which can make you fall asleep while you’re doing something important like working or driving.

Sleep apnea can be caused by oral problems. One of the first signs is usually teeth grinding. This can result in tooth wear and breakages or damaged gums. A rise in cavities can also indicate to teeth grinding. A small jaw, redness in your throat and a tongue with scalloped edges are also signs of sleep apnea. If you find that you have any of the symptoms mentioned above, you should consult a sleep apnea dentist at your earliest. Your dentist can get you custom-fitted oral devices to help fight the symptoms.