A recent study from the
University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) is an important reminder that
women who snore regularly and/or have difficulty sleeping through the night
should undergo an evaluation for obstructive sleep
apnea (OSA), a common sleep disorder with potentially deadly risks.
Although snoring—the
most common symptom
of sleep apnea—is more strongly associated with men than women, and while
men suffer OSA more frequently than women, research from UCLA shows that women
with sleep apnea sustain more damage to their brain cells than men. Previous
research has established that sleep apnea can result in brain cell damage, but
the recent findings in the UCLA study indicate that women suffer more brain
cell damage than men, particularly in the regions of the brain that help
regulate moods and decision-making.
It is believed that
more than 20 million Americans may suffer from obstructive sleep apnea, and
that many of those are either entirely undiagnosed or do not receive treatment.
While sleep apnea can occur regardless of gender or age, the American College
of Physicians estimates that between 4 and 9 percent of middle-aged men have
OSA, and between 2 and 4 percent of middle-aged women suffer from OSA.
If not treated,
obstructive sleep apnea can result in a heightened risk for severe health
problems including:
- Heart disease
- Stroke
- Heart attack
- High blood pressure
- Cardiac arrhythmia
There are a number of sleep apnea
treatments available through the field of dental sleep medicine. Many
patients are able to restore restful sleep to themselves and their partners
through the use of custom-made oral appliances.