Are you having a good night sleep?

If you've just had a restless night's sleep and have woken in a daze, have you ever thought to question why? In our last blog from our Emsworth dental clinic, we identified some of the reasons why we can't all sleep silently.

It won't have escaped your attention that most of them can be managed without resorting to separate sound-proof bedrooms! But let's reiterate one very important point: Whilst occasionally it may sound like snoring, Obstructive Sleep Apnoea (OSA), is a serious condition in which the sufferer can literally stop breathing for a total of over half an hour during an average 6-7 hour sleep. Bed partners tend to notice these symptoms first.

The impact is profound enough to ruin your quality of life and those of your loved ones and family. 1 in 5 ex-partners blame broken sleep for contributing to their relationship breakdown due to sleeping in different bedrooms, reduced sex life and higher stress levels. Does this sound familiar?

Not only that, but considering that your body and brain has been starved of oxygen all night, is it any wonder that Obstructive Sleep Apnoea has serious health risks associated.

• Excessive daytime sleepiness - It affects an estimated 770,000 people in the UK, and OSA is one of the most common causes. You're less effective at work and have a vastly increased risk of accidents at work or when behind the wheel.
• Reduced energy - Waking without feeling refreshed starts a perpetual cycle of poor motivation to exercise and thus weight gain.
• High Blood Pressure - An increased risk of high blood pressure and subsequent diabetes and cardiovascular conditions can result. Furthermore in diabetics, starving your brain of oxygen in the night has proven direct links with poorer control of your blood sugar levels.
• Pregnancy- OSA in pregnant women has been associated with many foetal and maternal complications, including preeclampsia.

Determining whether you suffer from Obstructive Sleep Apnoea involves a straight-forward 'Sleep Study', which can now be carried out in the comfort of your own home with a device smaller than your mobile phone. If you think somebody you know may be at risk, please do share this with them or come and see your dentist in Emsworth for more advice.

For more information contact our Emsworth dentists on reception@envisage-emsworth.co.uk or visit us at The Lodge, 4 Havant Road, Emsworth, PO10 7JE.