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Raphaelson Dental would like to bring high blood pressure awareness to our patients, especially women and encourage you to get your blood pressure reading. Normal blood pressure is 120/80, whereas prehypertension is defined as 120-139/80-89, with a reading of 140/90 defined as hypertension (more commonly referred to as high blood pressure). So what are the connections between women’s health, hypertension, and sleep disorders?

Check out some facts below:

Women’s health and hypertension
Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention:

Women are about as likely as men to develop high blood pressure during their lifetimes.

For people 65 years old or older, high blood pressure affects more women than men.

Women of African American descent have higher blood pressure than men.

Among blue-collar workers, women have a higher prevalence of hypertension than their male counterparts.

Certain types of birth control can also raise a woman’s risk for high blood pressure.

Women with high blood pressure who want to become pregnant should try to lower their blood pressure before becoming pregnant.

Expectant mothers with high blood pressure are more likely to have complications during pregnancy than those with normal blood pressure.

High blood pressure can place an expectant mother’s kidneys and other vital organs at risk, which can lead to low birth weight, preeclampsia, and preterm labor

Healthy blood pressure is critical for your overall health and well-being. High blood pressure increases the risk of having strokes, heart attacks, or developing heart disease or heart arrhythmias.

So how does this connect to your sleep patterns?

Certain sleep problems such as circadian rhythm disorders, insomnia, obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), primary snoring, restless leg syndrome (RLS), shift work disorder, and sleep deprivation can aggravate preexisting hypertension and may even lead to is developement.

Need more facts?

Snoring during pregnancy may increase the risk for both pregnancy-induced hypertension and intrauterine growth retardation. (BioMed Research International, 2016)

Preliminary data from one study suggests that obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) affects 8.1 percent of pregnant women by the second trimester, with an additional link made between OSA, hypertension, and diabetes. (BioMed Research International, 2016)

Among postmenopausal women, with symptoms of insomnia are at a higher risk of developing coronary heart disease or cardiovascular disease. (Journal of Women’s Health, 2013)

A 2006 study focused on insomnia and hypertension found that more than 60 percent of women versus less than 40 percent of men, that had coronary artery disease reported problems with insomnia; those with insomnia tended to be older and had experienced high blood pressure for longer. (Blood Pressure, 2006)

Penn Medicine is currently researching women who have pulmonary arterial hypertension who also have daytime fatigue and insomnia to determine what might be a cause of their sleep-wake problems. (Penn Medicine, 2017)

A recent meta-analysis concluded that sleep-disordered breathing is an independent stroke predictor; a separate Taiwan study reviewed gender-related differences and found a higher increase in stroke incidence among women than men, with women under the age of 35 showing the greatest risk increase. (Neurology, 2016)

Women who had sleep apnea were almost twice as likely to develop what’s known as preeclampsia, a type of pregnancy-related high blood pressure. (Obstetrics & Gynecology, 2016)
Untreated OSA leads to multiple problems in women (oxidative stress, inflammation, tissue damage, sympathetic activation and metabolic dysregulation) which predispose the body to atherosclerosis (“hardening of the arteries”). This confirms OSA as a common cause of systemic hypertension. (Journal of Sleep Medicine and Disorders, 2016)

Pregnant women with OSA have a higher risk of gestational hypertension and are more likely to undergo a cesarean section than women without OSA. (Journal of Sleep Medicine and Disorders, 2016)

Its time to connect the dots

If you struggle with daytime fatigue and sleepiness/ sleep, you may want to discuss a potential sleep disorder as the hidden culprit behind your blood pressure if it becomes high and difficult to manage. Raphaelson Dental Sleep Center can help diagnose your symptoms with a convenient home sleep study. Make an appointment today, our goal is to restore your health!

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Currently, seventy million Americans have sleep disorders and sleep apnea affects at least 12 million to 18 million of them.  Sleep apnea is a disorder that causes uncontrollable pauses in breathing, or shallow breaths during sleep. Snoring is a common symptom, although you may have sleep apnea even if you do not snore. Untreated, sleep apnea can be potentially life-threatening, can lead to serious medical consequences and a decreased quality of life. Pauses in your breathing cause less oxygen to make its way to the brain, overworks the cardiovascular system and other organs in your body. People with sleep apnea are triggered to wake up suddenly out of sleep and gasp for air in a Flight or Fight response. These sleep apnea episodes will wake you up from a deep sleep into light sleep stage, never allowing you to get the restful sleep you need. The multiple episodes of low blood oxygen (hypoxia or hypoxemia) can lead to sudden death from an irregular heartbeat. Sleep apnea can cause symptoms, including loud snoring, choking noises, poor sleep, and feelings of fatigue during the day. Long-term complications of sleep apnea can include an increased risk of heart disease, stroke, diabetes, obesity, depression, memory problems, viruses and sexual dysfunction. Sleep Apnea can cause accidents, learning or memory problems and a poor performance in school or at work.

Fortunately, sleep apnea can be treated with a custom oral appliance, which supports the jaw in a forward position to help maintain an open upper airway. Lifestyle changes which include losing weight, reducing inflammation, improving your diet and starting a regular exercise routine will also help prevent Sleep Apnea.

1. Oral Appliance Therapy

Sleep Appliances are worn much like an orthodontic appliance or sports mouth protector. Worn during sleep to prevent the collapse of the tongue and soft tissues in the back of the throat, oral appliances promote adequate air intake and help to provide normal sleep in people who snore and have Sleep Apnea. Oral appliances are considered first-line therapy for patients who have been diagnosed Obstructive Sleep Apnea according to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. They are also a great alternative for patients that cannot tolerate their prescribed CPAP. The oral appliance holds the lower jaw forward keeping the airway open. It prevents the tongue and muscles in the upper airway from collapsing and obstructing the airway.

Our oral appliances at Raphaelson Dental Sleep Center are very sleek in design- consisting of smooth, durable and comfortable material. It is also one of the strongest appliances currently available, making it an ideal treatment option for all patients, especially those who clench or grind their teeth at night.

2. Maintain a Healthy Weight

When you are overweight the fat deposits around your upper airway can obstruct normal breathing. If you’re a man with a neck circumference over 17 inches (43 centimeters) or women over 15 inches (38 centimeters, you have a significantly higher risk for sleep apnea.

Obesity increases a person’s risk for Sleep Apnea and poor sleep causes obesity affecting a person’s Leptin and Ghrelin (it is a vicious cycle). Sleep Apnea is most common among adults over 45 who are overweight, especially men, but can also affect women, people of normal weight and even children.

If you’re overweight or obese start with a goal of losing ten percent of your body fat. Here are some tips that can help you:

Eat a high fiber diet:  This means adding more fresh vegetables, fruit, nuts, seeds, sprouted beans or legumes, and ancient whole grains to your diet. Try to add at least 25–30 grams daily.

Eat foods that have healthy fats and high protein: Try cooking with coconut oil. It has natural fat-burning characteristics, and it benefits your gut too. Others healthy foods to add: olive oil, avocado, animal fats from lean meat, nuts and seeds. High protein foods are satisfying for hunger and help will help you build lean muscle too. Start off your morning with cage-free eggs, add some chicken to your lunch and maybe a fish to your dinner.

Get regular exercise: Exercise is not only essential to losing weight and live a healthy lifestyle but is also promotes a good sleep. It helps regulate hormones, burns calories and can break up nasal congestion. Go for a thirty-minute walk a couple of days a week. Park your car a little further from your destination. Take group classes at your local gym.

Natural oils:  Grapefruit, cinnamon, and ginger oil can help control your appetite, hormones and digestive symptoms.

4. Avoid Excessive Alcohol and Smoking

Alcohol relaxes the throat muscles, including the uvula and palate, which are important for controlling breathing. Smoking and alcohol can cause inflammation and fluid retention in the airway. And just in case you needed another reason to quit, people who smoke are three times more likely to have obstructive sleep apnea. So try to stop smoking and skip your night cap. If you plan drink do it at least three hours before going to bed.

Over the counter sleep aids, sedatives, and some prescriptions can have the same effects. Keep in mind, you are still waking up at night with these over the counter and prescription sleep aids although you may not be conscious of it. They only way to get a better sleep is to treat the root problem. Also, a lot of these medications can cause you to be more groggy during the day.

5. Treat Acid Reflux, Congestion and Coughs

Acid reflux/heartburn, congestion, and chronic coughs can interfere with normal breathing. Nasal congestion leads to difficulty breathing through the nose and can worsen symptoms of obstructive sleep apnea. Acid reflux causes irritation and swelling around certain throat muscles. Coughs might also irritate your upper airways and increase snoring. Reducing exposure to allergies and raising your head while sleeping can help reduce reflux and congestion. A humidifier will help drain your sinuses and more air to move through your airways. You can also rub essential oils such as eucalyptus oil which is also found in Vicks Vaporub on your chest before sleeping to help naturally open your airways and soothe a stuffy nose or a sore throat.

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Sudden cardiac arrest kills more than 300,000 Americans each year and often strikes without warning. Recent evidence suggests that there is a link between sudden cardiac arrest and sleep apnea, a common sleep disorder that causes a person’s breathing to pause or become shallow. This sleep disorder increases a person’s chances of developing heart disease and places them at a higher risk for sudden cardiac arrest.

Researchers found people with sleep apnea were 2.6 times more likely to have sudden cardiac arrest while sleeping during the hours of 10pm and 6am “The prevalence of obstructive sleep apnea in Western populations is high, (over 18 million) and will likely only continue to grow given the obesity epidemic and direct relationship between obesity and sleep apnea,” said lead author Dr. Apoor Gami, M.D., MSc, FACC, a cardiologist at Midwest Heart Specialists – Advocate Medical Group in Elmhurst, Ill.   In his study that sought out 10,000 Minnesota residents with suspected sleep disorders, it was determined that 78 percent of them had moderate sleep apnea. These patients were tracked and observed for up to 15 years, with an average follow-up every five years. During this time, it was reported that 142 of these patients had a fatal SCA or required resuscitation via CPR or automated external defibrillator (AED). Which concludes that the overall risk of this study was 0.27 percent. However, given that one in five adults suffer from even mild sleep apnea, this could add hundreds of thousands of people to that risk.

So why is sleep apnea so dangerous to the heart? It all has to do with your low blood oxygen levels. The body’s organs respond to the oxygen interruptions by demanding more blood.  This overworks the cardiovascular system and other major organs, which are supposed to be at rest. These sleep apnea episodes will wake you up from a deep sleep into light sleep stage, as your body reacts with a Flight or Fight response. The low oxygen levels during sleep can make you feel very tired in the morning and will contribute to more restless sleep. The multiple episodes of low blood oxygen (hypoxia or hypoxemia) can lead to sudden death from an irregular heartbeat. Individuals with severe sleep apnea, have an 80 percent risk for SCA due to their blood oxygen levels dropping below 78 percent.

Research shows that oral appliance therapy is a very effective treatment option for Obstructive Sleep Apnea. The oral appliance supports the jaw in a forward position to help maintain an open upper airway. It is considered the first line of treatment for OSA by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. Oral appliance therapy is a benefit provided by many medical insurance plans and our sleep coordinators will be happy to assist you with any questions.

Raphaelson Dental Sleep Center is very proud to be one of the few dental practices on Long Island to help the medical community treat Sleep Apnea. “We are excited to screen our patients for Sleep Apnea, knowing that we are improving their health and potentially saving their lives”. We believe it is our moral responsibility to the health of our patients to screen them for Sleep Apnea. Our sleep specialists are here to help, Transform Your Sleep, Redefine Your Health”.

Symptoms of sleep apnea can include: snoring, silent pauses in breathing, choking or gasping sounds, daytime sleepiness or fatigue, insomnia, morning headaches, feeling irritable, depressed, or experiencing mood swings, and waking up frequently to urinate. Talk to us about your symptoms, we are here to help! Call us for a Free Airway Evaluation today.

 
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