Earlier, we looked at how sleep apnea can lead to an increased risk of surgical complications. Now it seems that daytime sleeping, one of the possible outcomes of sleep apnea, can have a detrimental impact on the recovery of patients in rehabilitation following a heart attack, stroke, or orthopedic condition. According to a study published in the September issue of the journal Sleep, residents of rehab had significantly decreased functional recovery if they slept more during the day.
The study was conducted by researchers at UCLA's David Geffen School of Medicine. The study focused primarily on daytime sleeping and correlated it with the rate of functional recovery following three months of rehab. Although it did not focus directly on sleep apnea, researchers described sleep disturbances as one of the primary causes leading to daytime sleeping.
The value of the study is that sleep apnea treatment and treatment of other sleep disturbances can be more readily quantified than other variables that inhibit recovery during rehab. Factors like cognitive function and the likelihood of hospital readmission, which have also been shown to be significant variables in determining a patient's rate of recovery during rehab, are less remediable. On the other hand, sleep apnea treatment, whether through CPAP or oral appliance therapy, has a consistent record of documentable success.
If you would like to learn more about how sleep apnea treatment can increase your general health and ability to recover from surgery or injury, contact the Snoring and Sleep Apnea Treatment Center in Gurnee, Illinois, today for a free initial consultation.