{"id":802,"date":"2022-07-10T16:24:00","date_gmt":"2022-07-10T16:24:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.pvcompletedentistry.com\/blog\/?p=802"},"modified":"2022-08-05T16:28:36","modified_gmt":"2022-08-05T16:28:36","slug":"why-is-sleep-apnea-on-the-rise","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.pvcompletedentistry.com\/blog\/2022\/07\/why-is-sleep-apnea-on-the-rise\/","title":{"rendered":"Why Is Sleep Apnea on the Rise?"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Sleep apnea is a serious problem; every night, millions of Americans miss out on countless hours of sleep because of this condition. Even worse, many more cases go completely undiagnosed! But sleep apnea doesn\u2019t just rob you of your rest\u2014if left untreated, it can sometimes lead to some severe health problems. Keep reading to learn more from your dentist in Ponte Vedra Beach<\/a> about sleep apnea and why it\u2019s seemingly on the rise, along with some tips for lowering your risk of developing it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

What is Sleep Apnea & Why Is It on the Rise?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Sleep apnea is a common but serious sleep disorder that causes your breathing to pause, become shallow, or stop completely during sleep. Sometimes these pauses in breathing (called apnea) can last 10 seconds or longer and occur as often as 30 times in an hour! When it happens, your body is kicked out of its deep sleep cycle and must wake up to normalize your breathing. Needless to say, this sleep disruption can quickly add up and accumulate into hours of lost rest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sleep apnea affects many people, but it can stem from a variety of causes and diagnosis isn\u2019t always easy\u2014so how is it seemingly on the rise? One cause worth examining is obesity; when fat accumulates in the neck and increases its circumference, the airway becomes narrower and the increase in pressure can lead to it partially collapsing during sleep. And as obesity rates continue to climb in the US and abroad, sleep apnea is becoming more commonly diagnosed. Other major contributors to sleep apnea include smoking\/tobacco use, excessive alcohol consumption, existing medical conditions such as large tonsils or a thicker neck, and family history.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It’s also important to note that as the medical community becomes more adept at diagnosing and treating sleep apnea, cases that were previously undiagnosed can now be properly identified and addressed. Between the new and improved screening techniques coupled with technological advancements, more patients than ever before are being diagnosed and opting for treatment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tips for Lowering Your Risk of Sleep Apnea<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Luckily, there are many things you can do yourself to actively lower your risk of developing sleep apnea. Consider the following:<\/p>\n\n\n\n