You eat plenty of\nfruits and vegetables. You exercise regularly each week and keep yourself in\ngood shape. You\u2019re very careful not to go overboard on alcohol, and you always\nwash your hands before eating. And yet you still seem to get sick a bit too\noften. Why is that? It could be that you have a disorder that\u2019s preventing you\nfrom getting a good night\u2019s rest \u2013 and that can seriously cause your health to\ndecline. Here\u2019s why sleep apnea in Denver weakens your immune system \u2013 and why\nit\u2019s important to get prompt treatment to protect yourself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
When you\u2019re asleep, your body produce proteins called cytokines;\nthey help fight inflammation and infection. The longer you rest, the more cytokines\nyou produce. Not only can this help you fight against illness, but you can also\nmake it less likely to occur in the first place. Sleep also helps enhance the\neffectiveness of vaccines by increasing the number of antibodies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Sleep apnea is a disorder that temporarily causes you to\nstop breathing while you\u2019re asleep, whether it\u2019s due to a physical obstruction\n(which is the most common cause) or the brain\u2019s failure to regulate the\nnecessary muscles. When this happens, your body will briefly wake you up so that\nbreathing can resume; this can happen multiple times during the night, but each\nawakening will be so brief that you likely won\u2019t remember (though occasionally you\u2019ll\nfind yourself waking up gasping for air).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Cytokines and antibodies are produced when you\u2019re in the\ndeeper phases of sleep, so if you don\u2019t reach those phases, your immune system\nwill suffer. Unfortunately, the constant disruptions caused by sleep apnea mean\nyou\u2019re unlikely to reach these phases often enough to fulfil your body\u2019s needs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Sleep apnea can be difficult to identify on your own (although\na partner or a roommate might notice that you snore loudly or sometimes make gasping\nsounds). However, if you are often excessively drowsy during the day or find\nyourself waking up with a headache or a sore throat, you might need to undergo\na sleep study in Denver to check if you have a sleeping disorder.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If you do have sleep apnea, it can often be treated<\/a> with\nan oral sleep appliance. It adjusts your jaw in a way that keeps your throat from\nbeing blocked by bulky soft tissues. It\u2019s usually preferred over a CPAP device,\nwhich is effective but is also loud and cumbersome.<\/p>\n\n\n\n By treating your sleep apnea as soon as possible, you\u2019ll help\nprotect your health over the long term and help keep your immune system\nfunctioning at top capacity. Don\u2019t let poor quality sleep force you to take\nmore sick days!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Dr. Gary Radz was diagnosed with severe sleep apnea in the\npast and was unable to use a CPAP machine to treat it. He eventually discovered\noral sleep appliances and has enjoyed 8 years of excellent rest; he is thrilled\nto be able to offer his patients this potentially life-saving treatment at\nDowntown Denver Sleep Solutions. To schedule an appointment, visit his website<\/a> or call (303)\n377-5337.<\/p>\n\r\nAbout the Author<\/h3>\n\n\n\n