<![CDATA[The brain is a very complex organ as it is the control center of anything and everything our bodies do. It continues to mystify doctors in how it works, but it controls all of what we do on a daily basis, from eating to sleeping, walking, talking, and even breathing. Our brain has a role in every activity that we do. The brain even controls our emotions and the chemicals that influence how we feel and see certain things. While we sleep, our brain is still hard at work, monitoring and regulating our breathing and allowing us to dream.
With this in mind, remember that a patient suffering from sleep apnea stops breathing several times throughout the night. This halt in breathing then affects the normal sleeping pattern which then affects the brain’s function. These interruptions can cause all sorts of miscommunications within the brain that may cause conditions such as sleepwalking, depression, and anxiety.
When a sleep apneic is not treated properly he/she will still experience stops in breathing throughout the night. Physicians and dentists have worked to find a solid connection between depression and sleep apnea but there is no 100% link that has yet been proven. However, studies have shown that some patients who have sleep apnea also suffer from depression and emotional conditions. While sleep apnea may have an effect on how one sees the world, it’s important to remember that the brain’s structure as a whole really sets the stage as to how we see things.
If you have been suffering from sleep apnea as well as depression, treatment can help. Life can and will get better once you decide to treat your sleep apnea! Come to Dr. Siegel to get the sleep apnea treatment you need. Of course sleep apnea treatment doesn’t necessarily mean that the emotional and mood problems will go away, but you will at least be able to sleep restfully and safely at night knowing that your sleep apnea is under control.]]>
