According to the National Sleep Foundation, over 18 million Americans suffer from obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) every day. Sleep apnea is one of the most underdiagnosed disorders today, meaning those numbers could be much higher. Many myths surround this disorder leaving people unaware of the true symptoms and dangers of sleep apnea. It’s important to know the myths from the facts, as it might be you who suffers from this serious disease. Let’s take a look a look at a few myths surrounding sleep apnea.

Myth # 1: Snoring is not dangerous

Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) is a sleep disorder that results in the temporary slowing or stopping of breathing while you sleep. Snoring is among the most common symptoms of OSA. In most cases, when you experience an apnea event your body will jolt you awake with a loud snort or gasping sound to shock you back into breathing. These events happen for the same reason snoring occurs; your airway is obstructed, thereby limiting oxygen from reaching the brain. It is also important to note that not all people who snore suffer from OSA. Untreated obstructive sleep apnea can lead to very dangerous and life threatening health risks.

Myth # 2: Only overweight, middle-aged men have sleep apnea

This myth could not be less true. Sleep apnea affects both men, women and even children of all ages and sizes. However, women are 8 times less likely to be diagnosed than men. Women who complain of low energy or fatigue are more likely to be prescribed prescription medication for depression. On the contrary, men are often sent for a sleep study for evaluation.  If you are experiencing snoring, daytime fatigue, lack of energy, morning headaches or unrefreshing sleep, you should ask your doctor about getting a sleep study to rule out OSA.

Myth # 3: CPAP is the only treatment for sleep apnea

While CPAP therapy is the most common treatment for sleep apnea, it may not be the right solution for you. The use of a mask or nasal pillows at night can be uncomfortable and many will abandon CPAP treatment due claustrophobia, loud machine noise, bed partner complaints, anxiety, or travel inconvenience. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) also recommends treating obstructive sleep apnea using a dental device. This treatment is known as Oral Appliance Therapy (OAT). Oral Appliance Therapy is an effective treatment option for both snoring and obstructive sleep apnea.  It fits like an athletic mouthguard or orthodontic retainer. The oral appliance works by guiding the jaw in a forward position to help maintain the airway open, essentially eliminating snoring and airway obstructions.   Research shows that more than 90% of patients report compliance using an oral appliance. Drs. Jason Hui and Alan McDavid have the passion and experience to customize the ideal dental device for you! Contact us today at 469-712-6865 to find out how you can start treatment today!

Vitamin D, aka “the sunshine vitamin,” is one of the most essential of vitamins.This super vitamin is responsible for healthy bones. It facilitates the absorption of calcium into bone tissue. Therefore, vitamin D deficiency is often responsible for weak bones. In children, it can lead to a condition known as rickets, where bones become fragile and malformed due to it’s poor mineralization. In adults, poor calcium absorption leads to osteoporosis. Research also shows that vitamin D deficiency puts you at higher risk for developing chronic illnesses including autoimmune diseases, cardiovascular problems, diabetes, and even cancer. Furthermore, researchers attribute vitamin D deficiency to sleep apnea (read article until the end).

Where does vitamin D come from?

There are two main sources of vitamin D. By far, the primary source of vitamin D is our own skin. This mechanism one of the many functions of skin as an organ system. The body is able to synthesize vitamin D through direct exposure to sunlight. The skin utilizes UVB rays from the sun to transform a precursor molecule (7-dehydrocholesterol) into vitamin D3.  It then travels to the kidneys to help reabsorb calcium into the bloodstream for redistribution. That is why daily intake of sunlight and a balanced diet are essential for keeping health bones.

A secondary source of vitamin D is food. For the most part, you may find vitamin D in some fish species. Sardines, Salmon, Mackerel, and Tuna are excellent sources of vitamin D. In addition, you may eat some foods fortified with vitamin D. Examples include, eggs, raw milk, caviar, and mushrooms. Beyond food, you may take vitamin D supplements. Should you suspect vitamin D deficiency, it’s best recommended that you consult your primary care physician before taking supplements. Vitamin D levels should be monitored by a qualified physician.

Causes of Vitamin D Deficiency

Research shows that about 1 billion people worldwide are vitamin D deficient (1). People most prone to a vitamin D deficiency include those who don’t spend enough time outdoors, those who live in areas with poor exposure to sunlight (northern and southern hemispheres), and in people with darker skin or those who wear multiple layers of clothing. Furthermore, you may become deficient if over time you don’t consume the recommended levels. This is especially true for those who keep a low fat diet, those who don’t eat fish, egg yolks, and drink fortified milk.

Vitamin D Affects Our Appetite and How Our Bodies Store Fat

During the summertime, the average person living in the US receives higher doses of sunlight. Therefore, our bodies contain a surplus supply of vitamin D. Researchers suggest that our bodies interpret the surplus of vitamin D as an opportunity to grow muscle and build stronger bodies. As a result, we eat more calories and store less fat. During the wintertime, as the earth tilts on it axis the amount of UVB rays decreases. Consequently, our bodies sleep longer, use less energy, and store fat to get ready for spring. Just like weather apps on smartphones can help us decide what to wear before leaving the house, sunlight “informs” our bodies how to manage our energy supply throughout the day.

Vitamin D Deficiency Has Negative Effects On Sleep

Researchers have concluded that vitamin D may also play a role in sleep. Low vitamin D increases the risk of insufficient sleep (less than 5 hrs a night) and scoring below 70% on the healthy sleep efficiency score. Healthy sleep efficiency is generally considered to be 85% or above. Low scores indicate that sleep may be fragmented and restless, with multiple awakenings throughout the night. Other studies also suggest that people who suffer from sleep apnea may also be vitamin D deficient (2). This is an area of research with a lot of potential. Additional studies to help us understand the relationship between this super vitamin and sleep is forthcoming. Should you suspect to have a sleep disorder, ask your primary care physician to evaluate your risk and get tested if necessary.

1. F. Holick, Michael. Vitamin D: Evolutionary, Physiological and Health Perspectives. Current Drug Targets, vol. 12, No. 1, January 2011, pp.4-18. (Accessed online on June 20, 2017: http://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/ben/cdt/2011/00000012/00000001/art00002).
2. Breus, Michael. “Low On Vitamin D, Sleep Suffers.” In Health, How to Sleep Better, February 26, 2016. Accessed online on 6/30/17 (https://www.thesleepdoctor.com/2016/02/26/low-on-vitamin-d-sleep-suffers).

You have a big exam tomorrow. The time is 8:05pm and you begin to feel quite nervous about it. Not being as prepared as you would have liked, you start considering to pull the infamous “all-nighter.” The sun has already set and darkness fills the skies. As the ambitious night lingers on, even after several cups of coffee, your eyelids still manage to get heavier than your book-filled backpack. The words on the page become more difficult to read and your thinking becomes fuzzy. A mental fog begins to set in. No matter how hard you try to endure, the glorious all-nighter you had hoped for may be impossible to conquer. After what seems like moments later, you wake up in the early hours of the morning with your nose buried in the gutter of the book. Sound familiar? Why couldn’t you fight the urge to fall asleep? Why did it seem like you were completely out of control and as if you had no other choice?
 

Sleep is Vital

Sleep is an event your body needs to experience for survival. It is the period where your body recharges, heals, and files away all the information it gathered throughout the day. Despite all odds, sleep is the only even your body encounters that is involuntary. Some may try to go days without it and try to ignore the feeling of drowsiness. However, there will always be that moment when the brain will override, initiate a sleep cascade, and cause you to fall int a deep slumber despite all efforts. Falling asleep is an action brought on by your brain because it understands that without sleep, you cannot survive.
 

Why Does Your Body Need Sleep To Survive?

Just as our days are divided into daytime and nighttime, our body’s biologic clock is divided into wakefulness and sleep periods. Wakefulness and sleep occur through an oscillating cycle known as the circadian rhythm. It operates by regulating the secretion of chemical in our body to inhibit or induce sleep. The hypothalamus acts as our biologic clock and initiates sleep by lowering body temperature and by coordinating the release of melatonin into the bloodstream.

Sleep occurs in two phases, Rapid Eye Movement (REM) and Non-Rapid Eye Movement (NREM) cycles. The primary function of NREM sleep is restorative. This is the period of sleep when your body grows, heals, and recharges for the upcoming day. REM sleep is the period essential for memory, mood, and learning functions. It’s during this period when your brain filters through the information gathered during the day. I like to think of REM sleep as the librarian filing away all the books that returned to the library from circulation.
 

What Happens To Your Body When You Lack Sleep?

When we fail to recharge our batteries, our devices stop working. When you don’t defragment your hard drive regularly, your computer begins to run slower and more sluggish. Both examples are applicable to what happens with our body when we don’t get enough sleep. Going 24 hours without sleep is comparable to the same state of mind as someone with a blood alcohol level of 0.1%, which is above the legal limit to drive in most States.
 

How Much Sleep Do You Need?

Our bodies need an average of 7-8 hours of quality sleep. I emphasize quality because our bodies need uninterrupted sleep. When a loud sound, snoring spouse, pet, children, et cetera, wakes the sleeper, it causes a cycle interruption that is just as bad as not sleeping at all. Patients who are chronically sleep deprived could be subject to a multitude of health problems. For example, depression, anxiety, high blood pressure, obesity, sexual dysfunction, fatigue, and diabetes just to name a few. If you feel like you aren’t getting anough sleep or feel like your sleep is consistently being interrupted, we urge you to find a sleep specialist near you before your battery runs out.

In my dental practice, I often screen patients for sleep breathing disorders such as obstructive sleep apnea. If I suspect a problem after my oral examination, I often start the conversation by asking, “are you aware that you snore whenever you sleep? or “do you often feel unrefreshed in the mornings when you wake up?” Often, my patients respond by saying, “yes, but only when I have bad allergies.”

How do seasonal allergies affect your sleep?

In general, seasonal allergies are thought to disrupt normal, healthy sleep. Allergies usually cause nasal congestion and impair nasal breathing at night. The nasal passages then to swell up and cause the upper airway to narrow. The result is a blocked or partially blocked airway. This condition can lead to “apneas” — the cessation of breathing during sleep that characterizes obstructive sleep apnea.

For those who suffer from chronic allergies, reactions may cause the tonsils and adenoids to swell and enlarge. The enlargement of these soft tissue structures can cause an obstructed airway, potentially increasing the risk of developing sleep apnea.

In patients with allergic rhinitis, obstructive sleep apneas are longer and more frequent compared to patients without those conditions.1 Allergies generally are not the direct cause of sleep apnea, but they tend to exacerbate the problem. As a general rule, reducing allergic reactions can help improve sleep quality.

In mild cases of obstructive sleep apnea, nasal steroids such as Flonase, could improve symptoms, but cases of moderate or severe obstructive sleep apnea typically require further medical treatment such as CPAP or a sleep apnea oral device to keep the airway unobstructed during sleep.

References

1. McNicholas WT, et al. “Obstructive Apneas during sleep in patients with seasonal allergic rhinitis.” Am Rev Respir Dis. 1982 Oct; 126(4):625-8. Retrieved from http://www.ncbi.nih.gov/pubmed/7125355 (accessed February 14, 2014).

Did you know that our bodies come fully equipped with an internal clock? Just below the brain, there is a cluster of about 20,000 nerve cells known as the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN). The SCN is connected to various parts of the brain and it acts as a control center for certain bodily functions. It helps regulate sleep and wakefulness, body temperature, and various hormonal changes during a 24-hour cycle. Let’s take a closer look to understand how this works!

How Does The SCN Work?

The SCN is responsible for determining the beginning and the end of each 24-hour cycle. From the first moment that light enters your eyes, the SCN begins to relay time-of-day information to your brain. Due to its proximity to the optic nerve, the SCN interprets information about incoming light. As light increases with the rise of the sun, the SCN signals the brain to promote alertness even before you’re awake. Similarly, as light in our environment begins to dim as the evening approaches, the SCN sends nerve signals to initiate body relaxation, decrease alertness, and begin sleep.

How Does The SCN Help Regulate Sleep?

At night, when sunlight vanishes from the sky, the SCN also promotes sleepiness. It does so by stimulating the secretion of a special hormone in the pineal gland called melatonin. Melatonin is a naturally occurring hormone associated with sleep onset. As melatonin levels peak, it induces drowsiness, drops your body temperature, and you begin to feel less alert. Thus you body becomes more suitable for sleep. During the day, melatonin levels remain somewhat negligible until the start of a new day.

How Does Blue Light Affect Your Sleep?

Blue light is everywhere. Sunlight contains blue light as part of its spectrum. As sunlight  passes through the atmosphere, blue light waveforms scatter giving our skies its beautiful blue color. In its natural form, your body uses natural blue light to boost alertness and stay awake during the day. This is a desired effect as it’s an integral part of our circadian rhythm. However, blue light also exists in artificial sources. These include, electronic devices such as cell phones and laptop computers, as well as energy-efficient fluorescent bulbs and LED lights.

Prolonged exposure to artificial blue light causes your brain to suppress melatonin, thus disrupting your circadian rhythm by stimulating wakefulness beyond the evening hours. Circadian rhythm disruptions are known to cause to medical issues like depression, obesity, breast and prostate cancer, and cardiovascular disease. It’s even associated with sleep disorders like insomnia and delayed phase sleep disorder. Therefore, staring at blue light emitting devices before going to bed should be avoided.

Things To Consider

If you struggle falling asleep, consider the following tips: First, make sure that you get plenty of daylight. Researches have found that plenty of daylight during wake hours helps promote your body’s desire to rest at night. Should you spend most of your days indoors, schedule times to be outside, perhaps take walks if you can. At night, don’t wait until it’s time to go to bed to turn off the lights. Possibly, install light dimmers to gradually turn your house into an environment for sleep. Prolonged exposure to artificial light at night can prolong wakefulness to undesired times.