Wellness Wednesday: Mental Health and Sleep Apnea

 Sleep is crucial for our overall health, but for those with sleep apnea, a good night's rest is hard to come by.  For some people, they can sleep countless hours and never feel rested. Others with sleep apnea can’t fall asleep and some sleep soundly and the symptoms may be un noticeable; for some, symptoms manifest as snoring, gasping, restless sleep or teeth grinding. 

Sleep apnea is a condition characterized by interrupted breathing during sleep, leading to frequent arousals, fragmented sleep and poor sleep quality. 

Sleep apnea is a disorder where the airway becomes blocked repeatedly during sleep, reducing or completely stopping airflow. 

 A simple at home sleep test can determine if you have sleep apnea or not and if you do, it can distinguish which type you have.

 Sleep apnea affects about 18 million Americans, with obstructive sleep apnea being the most common type. it can occur in anyone, including children. And may times the root cause is growth, development, genetics and lifestyle, age and weight can add additional contributing factors- putting some at a higher risk. 

 One of the most well-documented connections is with depression. People with sleep apnea are over 3 times more likely to have depression than those with healthy breathing. 

People with sleep apnea are 2.75 times more likely to have suicidal thoughts that those without sleep apnea. 

Bipolar disorder is another documented link caused when people stop breathing at night during sleep apnea events. 

Anxiety is another common issue. People with sleep apnea are nearly 4 times more likely to have anxiety. 

There's also evidence suggesting that untreated sleep apnea can lead to cognitive decline and increase the risk of neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's. 

Other mental disorders associated with sleep disorders are stress, Attention deficit disorder, or ADHD and schizophrenia. We well be exploring those more closely with experts in future podcast episodes. 

 Sleep apnea is the lack of oxygen to the body’s vital organs, especially the heart and the brain. This lack of oxygen increases the risk of mental health issues and the makeup of the brain matter.

The lack of oxygenated blood to the brain causes changes in the blood vessels and poor blood supply to the brain. This can cause neural death or impairment of the white matter of the brain. It is also important to point out that when blood oxygen saturation drops, there is an increase in carbon dioxide levels, blood pressure increases, and the heart rate rises. All of these changes lead to inflammation in the body and brain and activation of stress hormones that effect metabolism and raise blood pressure even more. 

 If you find out you have sleep apnea, it is urgent that you seek treatment. Treating sleep apnea has evolved and there are many options available, including sleep coaching, myofunctional therapy and oral appliances. 

 Many patients report feeling more alert, less anxious, and overall happier once their sleep apnea is managed.

 May is Mental Health Awareness Month: If you suspect you have sleep apnea, it's important to seek medical advice. An at-home sleep study can detect the condition, and from there, you can explore treatment options. Addressing sleep apnea can improve not just your sleep, but your overall mental and physical health. And if you're experiencing mental health challenges, don't hesitate to reach out to a mental health professional. Treating both aspects can lead to a much better quality of life.