May 31, 2016 was World No Tobacco Day–did you say no? While one day out of the year is designating to saying no to tobacco, why stop there? Let’s keep this going all year and for the rest of our lives! In previous years, if someone told you that you snored, you might shrug it off as just an annoying thing you couldn’t help. However, it says a lot more about your own health and wellbeing than anything. And that goes with smoking, too. Everyone knows smoking causes cancer and other health issues, but many continue to do it. Like snoring and sleep apnea, tobacco plays a significant negative role as well.
Smoking and Sleep
If you compare a smoker to a non-smoker, it has been shown that smokers are three times more likely to suffer from obstructive sleep apnea. Why? Because smoking causes an increase of inflammation and fluid retention in the upper airway, which can further aggravate sleep apnea symptoms.
So, what is the end result? Both smoking and sleep apnea are deadly conditions that can severely shorten your lifespan when combined. Smoking and sleep apnea can both cause cardiovascular and respiratory health problems. Because of this, further importance is placed on the need to quit smoking while also seeking care for sleep apnea.
Just Quit Smoking
People who currently smoke are 2.5 times more likely to suffer from obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) than previous smokers and nonsmokers combined. With smoking, most airway tissue swell because it’s an irritant. Swelling in the nose and the throat further reduces the space for the air to flow through. And, as you know, sleep apnea is often the result of a narrow airway.
You can further protect yourself and improve your health by kicking the habit now. Don’t hesitate or wait a day longer, the sooner you quit smoking, the better you will feel and look. In addition to quitting smoking, it is important to seek treatment for sleep apnea, too.
Smoking makes the swelling in your upper airway worse, which can further aggravate symptoms such as snoring and pauses in breathing (sleep apnea). By visiting Craniofacial Pain & Dental Sleep Center of Georgia, we can help you eliminate your symptoms. While it is up to you to quit smoking, we can successfully treat your sleep apnea with oral appliance therapy.
In order to have successful treatment, you must quit smoking. By quitting your habit of smoking, you are significantly improving your treatment options and the results from treatment. While quitting smoking does not guarantee that your sleep apnea will disappear, it does ensure that treatment will be much more effective.
Contact Craniofacial Pain & Dental Sleep Center of Georgia to learn more about your sleep apnea treatment options and tips for quitting your smoking habit.
