Anxiety, depression, stress, feeling overwhelmed, and mood swings are all worsened when we don’t get the sleep we need. What keeps us from getting the sleep we need? The short answer is any number of things, but one thing in particular that might be contributing is obstructed breathing. When we don’t breath well at night, it can have consequences for our mental health when we wake up.
What Keeps Us From Breathing Well?
A good portion of us snore from time to time. But that shouldn’t be the case. When we sleep, the muscles in our mouths, our tongue, and throat relax. When these tissues relax too much, they can partially block the airway and vibrate. Snoring is the result of those soft tissues vibrating.
Several things can contribute to this chain of events including:
- Mouth anatomy
- Alcohol consumption
- Nasal problems
- Sleep deprivation
- Sleep position
The narrower the airway, the louder the snoring and the increased likelihood that a person suffers from obstructive sleep apnea.
Sleep Deprivation and Sleep Apnea
Consider how you feel after a bad night’s sleep. Words like tired, cranky, short-tempered, and unfocused probably come to mind. That’s because sleep is meant to be restorative and when our sleep cycles are interrupted we’re not able to finish the job while we’re asleep. Over time these inconveniences get worse. What was once a rough night or a bad morning becomes routine and that’s when people start feeling the full effects of sleep deprivation and what’s likely to be sleep apnea.
Multiple bad days in a row can wear on us and lead to problems with our mental health like:
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Suicidal ideation
- Serious psychological distress
Notes on Depression, Anxiety, and Psychological Distress
A study from Kauffman, Ph.D., MHS, Susukida, Ph.D., and Depp, Ph.D. published in the National Institutes of Health, found that compared to those without sleep apnea, sleep apnea sufferers had more than three times the odds of also having depression. On top of that, similar stats were reported for sleep apnea sufferers likelihood of dealing with other mental health conditions.
- Almost four times more likely to have anxiety
- Over two and a half times more likely to experience suicide ideation
- Nearly three times more likely to be dealing with serious psychological distress
What To Do Next
Sleep apnea is dangerous. It’s associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, metabolic syndrome and mental health struggles. For more information and treatment options for sleep apnea, contact Dr. Marzban DDS at 703-323-8200 or complete our contact form.
