Living with type 2 diabetes means constantly monitoring your blood sugar levels to ensure they stay in a healthy range. Unfortunately, they can be easily affected by things like food, beverages, and even how much rest you get. Worse yet, if you’re one of the millions of Americans who suffer from both diabetes and sleep apnea, these dangerous conditions could be making each other a lot worse. Here’s a closer look at the link between them, and how you can get the rest you need to improve your symptoms of both!
What is Type 2 Diabetes?
Type 2 diabetes is a disease that causes your body to resist insulin and make it difficult to create and maintain sufficient levels of glucose, raising your blood sugar. It can also put your major organs such as your kidneys, eyes, nerves, blood vessels and heart through dangerous and excessive stress.
What is Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA)?
Obstructive sleep apnea is a sleep disorder that occurs when the airway becomes blocked during sleep. This can cause difficulties breathing, and may result in gasping and choking for air, snoring, and frequent waking. It can even cause a variety of negative symptoms during the day, such as cognitive impairment, depression, and anxiety, and may even worsen the effects of serious medical conditions like high blood pressure, heart disease, and diabetes.
How Diabetes and Sleep Apnea Affect Each Other
For most people with type 2 diabetes, simply not treating their condition isn’t possible. In order to live a long and healthy life, their blood sugar must be constantly monitored at home and with the help of a doctor. But what many don’t realize is that leaving sleep apnea untreated can be just as dangerous. In fact, by not getting adequate rest or oxygen in the blood, you can negatively impact your glucose levels and increase the likelihood of insulin resistance. Worse yet, if you don’t presently have type 2 diabetes, simply having untreated sleep apnea can increase your risk of developing it!
Treating Sleep Apnea Without CPAP
When many people think of sleep apnea treatment, they often imagine CPAP therapy. These machines are notorious for their hard-to-clean tubing, awkward masks, and of course uncomfortable forced air. This frequently causes patients to avoid using their machines entirely, rendering them useless.
Thankfully, your dentist understands the importance of getting a good night’s sleep, which is why she is so proud to offer oral appliance therapy. These custom-made orthotics are a more comfortable way to position the airway open naturally, without the need for tubes, electronics, masks, or forced air.
The good news is that when you treat your sleep apnea symptoms, not only can you get the comfortable, quality rest you deserve, but it can also help lower your risk of developing type 2 diabetes and protect against the worsening of symptoms if you presently have the condition.
To learn more about how oral appliance therapy could benefit both your rest and your type 2 diabetes symptoms, schedule a consultation with your trusted sleep dentist today!
About Dr. Ardovino
Dr. Ann Ardovino earned her undergraduate degree at the University of Alabama at Birmingham and her dental degree at the University of Alabama School of Dentistry. She is a proud student of the Dawson Academy, where she achieved Fellowship status in TMJ and Occlusion. She has also studied extensively with the American Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine, earning the title of Diplomate. Dr. Ardovino is also a current active member of the American Dental Association, American Board of Dental Sleep Medicine, and the Academy of General Dentistry, just to name a few. To schedule an appointment for sleep apnea treatment at Alabama Dental Sleep and Wellness, visit our website or call 205-346-1488.