Can Sleep Deprivation Make Sleep Apnea Worse?

It seems cruel, but many doctors and researchers believe that it is true: not getting enough sleep, not getting regular sleep, and being overtired can all make sleep apnea symptoms even worse. According to David Schulman, director of the Emory Sleep Lab in Atlanta, sleep apnea can become more severe if patients are not getting enough sleep in the first place. When you lack sleep, your body will immediately dive into deep "REM" sleep in order to catch up. However, deep sleep is the type of sleep in which sleep apnea is the worst. The result is that patients do not experience the normal cycle of light and deep sleep needed for health and spend more time in REM sleep that is continuously interrupted by the breathing issues caused by sleep apnea.

A Vicious Cycle of Sleep Loss and Sleep Apnea

Many patients with sleep apnea will experience a downward spiral of sleep deprivation and sleep apnea: their sleep apnea will make them overtired, which will in turn make them skip their lighter phase of sleep. Moving directly into deep sleep also means a move into the phase of sleep where sleep apnea wakes up the sleeper, sometimes dozens of times per hour. With each passing day of untreated sleep apnea, a person may find themselves displaying more and more symptoms of excessive daytime sleepiness, including:

• Fatigue.
• Difficulty concentrating.
• Memory issues.
• A strong urge to sleep during daytime activities.
• Falling asleep at inappropriate times or during activities.

These issues can lead to car accidents and work-related accidents in addition to significantly lowering a person's day-to-day quality of life.

Who is at Risk for Sleep Deprivation and Deficiency?

Certain types of people or people with certain types of jobs are more susceptible to sleep deprivation and sleep deficiency than others. These groups could include:

• Caregivers, such as mothers of young children.
• Those working multiple jobs.
• Shift workers.
• Those who travel for work, including professional athletes.
• Commercial truck drivers and airline pilots.
• Those who have medical conditions that make it difficult to sleep.
• Those who drink alcohol or take drugs (legal or illegal) that effect sleep.

It is no surprise that many of the groups listed above are often in the news for issues related to sleep apnea.

Regular Sleep: A Positive Lifestyle Change

If you suffer from mild to moderate sleep apnea, you may benefit from a number of lifestyle changes, including making certain to stick to a regular and restful sleep pattern. Not only can regular sleep ameliorate the symptoms of sleep apnea, it can also help other health conditions related to sleep apnea, such as high blood pressure, heart disease, and obesity. However, many may find that their careers or certain health conditions prevent them from getting the sleep that they need to improve their OSA or that their OSA is too severe to be mitigated by lifestyle changes.

Sleep Apnea Surgical Solutions

At Surgical Sleep Solutions, we are dedicated to solving the issue of obstructive sleep apnea through a unique delivery model combined with a well-known surgery (bimaxillary advancement) – and eliminating the sleep deprivation and sleep deficiencies that obstructive sleep apnea sufferers face on a daily basis. To learn more about our procedure, or to speak with a member of our team, please contact us today.