A recent report shows the long term impact of sleep apnea, including an increased rate of dementia.
I’m not scared of much, including death. My two great fears are something happening to my children and getting dementia. So after reading this study, I’m so happy that I’m being treated with an oral appliance for my sleep apnea. Honestly, if I didn’t work closely with the dental industry, I’m not sure I’d be wearing it or having my sleep apnea treated at all.
Yeah, I’d been told I snore a lot.
Who doesn’t? And I’d gradually found it harder and harder to get up in the morning. I mean, I live a busy life. And the lower energy, I mean, I ain’t no spring chicken.
I was lucky enough to fall asleep on the couch one night while my daughter studied nearby. She shook me awake, panicked that I was choking to death. She made me promise to have ‘that’ – whatever that was – checked out. And I always do what I promise her I will do, so I did. And it was a pain – a PCP visit, a sleep doctor visit, sleep test, tried CPAP for a month, another doctor visit… I had to beg for an oral appliance referral, which he never gave me(!) Finally, the wonderful Dr. Yatros at New Concept Sleep was good enough to fit me for a device.
It was life changing!
My AHI went from 26 to 3, literally overnight. I wake up easier. I don’t feel the need to nap during the day. I have more energy.
And gratefully, I learned today via this report, I have a lesser chance of developing dementia later in life.
I’m so grateful to have been diagnosed and treated with Dental Sleep Medicine, and so is my daughter!