If you suffer from sleep apnea, you might have noticed your sex life was suffering. You might feel like you have no solution, but you can rest easy knowing there is something that can help! Treating your sleep apnea! A study in JAMA Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery found that adults suffering from sleep apnea may improve their sex life by wearing a CPAP mask to bed.

What is the connection?

Sleep apnea is a disorder that leads to disrupted breathing or shallow breaths during sleep. It has long been linked to sexual dysfunction. For example, for men it is tied to difficulties getting and maintaining an erection as well as ejaculation disorders. For women, sleep apnea is associated with vaginal dryness and painful intercourse.

In the study, 182 men and women with newly diagnosed sleep apnea were prescribed nighttime treatment with CPAP machines. One year later, 72 patients maintained treatment with CPAP and experienced greater improvements in sexual quality of life than the 110 people who didn’t keep up with their treatment. However, the amount of improvement was negligible for men and more pronounced for women.

Seek treatment now

Treatment has proven to be beneficial for the health of patients with sleep apnea, as well as their sex lives. However, many people can’t tolerate wearing a CPAP mask. When this is the case, oral appliance therapy can be a successful alternative. The oral appliance helps to open up space in the airway by pushing the lower jawbone, making it less likely for your upper airway to collapse during sleep.

Contact us at Craniofacial Pain & Dental Sleep Center of Georgia for more information on sleep apnea and your treatment options.