Humans need to sleep but researchers still don’t really know the reason why. New studies are emerging every day that show how learning is affected by sleep, how healing is affected by sleep, how memory is affected… you get the idea. It seems that sleep affects almost everything in our lives. We do know that sleep affords our brains time to sort through and integrate information and experiences absorbed during the day

Many scientists are focusing on this type of research – the role that sleep plays in consolidating and “filing” those memories away in our brains for future use. Interruptions to this process can be damaging. It is estimated that 50 million Americans suffer from some type of sleep problem or disorder.

One of the most miserable sleep disorders is obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Obstructive sleep apnea occurs when the soft tissues of the mouth and throat become relaxed during sleep and slip back to block the sleepers airway. Without air, the sleeper jerks awake gasping for breath. Most sufferers are unaware that this happens to them many times each hour. Not only does OSA disrupt the sleep of the person suffering from the disorder, the loud snoring and gasping that accompany OSA also keep their bed partner awake.

Each interruption of sleep deprives the brain of the restful time it needs to do its nighttime work. Sleep deprivation is linked to memory loss, depression and physical problems such as heart disease and stroke. If you or your loved one snores loudly and suffers from excessive daytime sleepiness, memory issues or lack of energy they may have undiagnosed obstructive sleep apnea.

Please contact us today at 614-476-6696 to schedule a consultation. Obstructive sleep apnea is a dangerous disease but treatment is available.