Why You Shouldn’t Take Sleeping Pills If You Have Sleep Apnea

One of the symptoms of sleep apnea is that your body is forced to awaken multiple times during the night. Knowing this, some patients assume that sleeping pills in Weatherford can help them fight their sleep disorder. Unfortunately, if anything it’s the opposite; when you have sleep apnea, sleeping pills are extremely likely to make the problem even worse. Here’s why you should avoid sleeping aids at all costs if you already have sleep apnea symptoms.

What Exactly is Sleep Apnea?

The most common form of sleep apnea is obstructive sleep apnea, or OSA for short. OSA occurs when the airway is blocked by either your tongue or your soft palate relaxing and falling backward, thus cutting off your flow of air. When that happens, your brain focuses you to wake up briefly so that breathing can restart. As a result, people with OSA often feel exhausted throughout the day even if they think they got a full 7 to 9 hours of sleep.

How Can Sleeping Pills Make Sleep Apnea Worse?

Sleeping pills help you fall asleep and stay asleep by relaxing your mind and body. But if you have OSA, chances are that the soft tissues in your mouth are already relaxed, so sleeping pills will only make the existing problem worse. As a result, your sleep apnea will likely become more severe, and you may start to notice additional symptoms such as:

• Memory problems and a decreased attention span
• High blood pressure and an increased risk of heart problems
• Cognitive issues such as depression, irritability, and mood swings

In short, if you currently have sleep apnea or think you might have sleep apnea, then you need to avoid sleeping pills at all costs.

So How Should Sleep Apnea Be Treated?

Your first step for addressing sleep apnea is to have the disorder properly diagnosed via a sleep test. Then your sleep dentist can recommend an appropriate type of treatment based on your symptoms and the underlying cause of the problem. In many cases, you’ll be given an oral appliance to wear. This simple device helps reposition your mouth to stop your soft tissues from obstructing your airway, thus allowing you to breathe normally throughout the night.

There may also be a few steps you can take at home that can help reduce your symptoms, such as:

• Losing weight
• Sleeping on your side instead of on your back
• Staying away from alcohol before bed

There are plenty of ways for you to combat sleep apnea, but you need to be careful; choosing the wrong treatment could lead to more serious issues. Always talk to your sleep dentist or another sleep expert to see what solutions are available for your sleep disorder!

About the Author

Dr. Deborah A. Romack graduated from the Baylor College of Dentistry with honors in 1998. Since that time, she has attended many courses on obstructive sleep apnea, and she currently offers oral appliance therapy as a solution for patients suffering from sleep breathing disorders. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Romack at her practice, Weatherford Dental Sleep Medicine, visit her website or call (817) 594-3806.