825 S Waukegan Rd, Lake Forest, IL 60045

How Sleep Loss Affects Your Life

Lake Forest, Lake Bluff, and Lincolnshire

Sleep loss affects millions of adults. One of the main reasons why so many people feel chronically fatigued is because of an undiagnosed sleep-breathing disorder or obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). This disorder means that air is restricted or completely cut off temporarily while sleeping. The most common symptom of OSA is snoring, but if you have untreated sleep apnea, there are other ways it affects your life.
how sleep affects your life

Drs. Douglas Campbell and David Schmidt offer non-invasive sleep apnea treatment in Lake Forest. Contact Lake Forest Smiles today to learn how we can help you rest better, and live healthier!

Here are the ways that sleep loss affects your life

Memory and Cognition

Not getting enough restful sleep affects memory and brain function. Even just one bad night of lost sleep could cause you to be forgetful, unable to process and retain new information, and have trouble learning new skills.

Mood

A lack of quality sleep affects mood, and can even lead to depression and anxiety. Furthermore, if you already suffer from depression or anxiety, sleep loss could make it worse. If you find that you are snappy, short-fused, or experience nervousness, or have feelings of depression, it could be because of untreated sleep apnea.

Weight

Struggling to lose weight, or does it seem like no matter how diligent you are about an exercise routine and eating right, you cannot shed those extra pounds? Sleep loss lost disrupts the hormones responsible for controlling appetite.

Skin

Untreated sleep apnea leads to sleep deprivation that never ends until you seek treatment. A lack of sleep is likely to cause dark under-eye circles, unhealthy skin, and cause you to look aged beyond your years. You might be tempted to try anti-aging skincare products, and while that could help, it will not work miracles if you are living with chronic sleep loss.

Libido

Ever said the phrase, “I’m too tired,” to your significant other? Life these days is hectic and busy, but chronic fatigue is a hallmark indicator of untreated sleep apnea, which affects your libido.

Heart and Other Organs

Getting fewer than seven hours of sleep each night increases the risk of heart disease, diabetes, obesity, certain types of cancer, and even Alzheimer’s, which could shorten life expectancy.

Get Sick More Often

Sleep allows the body to rest and rejuvenate, which is important for the immune system. If you find that you get sick often, or it seems to take forever to get over a common cold, sleep loss could be to blame

Sleep apnea is a serious condition that could be detrimental to your overall health if not managed. At Lake Forest Smiles, we offer non-invasive treatments to help you rest better, and improve airflow while you sleep. Some ways that Drs. Campbell and Schmidt help patients manage sleep apnea include oral appliance therapy, and in severe cases, a CPAP machine. Sleep apnea must be treated because it will not go away on its own.

Sleep Apnea Dentists in Lake Forest, Lake Bluff, and Lincolnshire

If you would like to learn more about sleep apnea, its treatment, or how to manage sleep apnea in Lake Forest, Lake Bluff, or Lincolnshire, call (847) 234-4800 to schedule a consultation. Drs. Campbell and Schmidt have provided elite dental care for more than 30 years. We welcome you to our practice.

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