The human body needs to sleep for six to eight hours every day so its tissues can repair themselves and the brain can sort through the data it acquired throughout the day. Unfortunately, sleep apnea is a common problem that can restrict a person’s airway while they rest and cause them to wake up more than a hundred times in a single night. Here’s a brief guide to the stages of sleep and how sleep apnea can interfere with the quality of your rest.
Stage 1: Dozing Off
If you ever woke someone up only for them to claim that they were not sleeping, they were probably in stage 1 sleep. During this stage, the resting individual’s eye movements will slow down, but they will still be dimly aware of their surroundings. It’s easy to wake the sleeper up at this stage, and it only lasts for a few minutes.
Stage 2: Light Sleep
People spend roughly half of their sleep cycles in stage 2 sleep, during which their brains produce waves called sleep spindles. These waves may help prevent the sleeper from being awakened too easily.
Stage 3: Deep Sleep
It’s harder to wake a person in stage 3 sleep. During this stage, the muscles will relax and the body will begin repairing the wear and tear it sustained over the day. This stage is also crucial for the growth and development of children and adolescents. During this stage, the relaxing tissues in the neck of a person with sleep apnea may weigh too heavily on the windpipe, which will cut off the body’s supply of oxygen and cause the sleeper to awaken suddenly and out of breath.
Stage 4: REM Sleep
REM stands for “rapid eye-movement” since the sleeper’s eyes will flick about in various directions during this stage. Other signs of REM sleep include increased heart rate and blood pressure and shallow and somewhat irregular breathing patterns. This stage allows the brain to sort and consolidate data gathered throughout the day into its memory, and it is when most dreaming occurs.
Regularly going through each of these stages of sleep several times a night is crucial to maintaining your physical and mental health, and sleep apnea can lead to a range of ill effects such as grogginess, irritability, overeating, and possibly dozing off while driving. Consulting with your dentist may help you find the best way to achieve superior rest.
About the Practice
Premier Dental offers the finest oral healthcare in Vero Beach. Led by Drs. Adam Jones and Giuliana Diaz Jones, the staff provides each patient with the utmost courtesy and outstanding customer service. Areas of expertise include general, restorative, and emergency dentistry as well as sleep apnea treatments. If you suspect that you have sleep apnea, contact the office online or dial (772) 234-5353.