With the COVID-19 pandemic, stress has increased in people throughout the nation. Stress can have an impact on all aspects of your health. It can also definitely cause problems with your sleep schedule. Dr. William Harper of Coastal Virginia Sleep Solutions, leaders of sleep apnea treatment in Hampton Roads, VA, lets you know what you should be on the lookout for regarding your sleep schedule.
Stress Can Cause Insomnia
The more stress you have on your plate, the more likely you are to struggle with insomnia. Insomnia creates a state of what’s called hyperarousal. Impacts of it are seen throughout the day, but at night it causes trouble with falling asleep or getting back to sleep after you wake up suddenly in the middle of the night.
In a vicious cycle, insomnia can lead to more stress. You’re lying awake at night, obsessing over things, and struggling with anxiety. During the day, you’re more irritable than normal and lack of sleep is another thing contributing to your stress. This can mean more of a state of hyperarousal.
Stress Contributes to TMJ Disorders
Stress often leads to you clenching and grinding your teeth, even if you didn’t have an issue with it before an onslaught of stress. Doing this frequently often leads to the development of TMJ disorders. This often involves the misalignment or other issues with the joint of your jaw.
TMJ disorders cause pain in the jaw and face, headaches, wear and tear on your teeth, as well as many other issues. The impacts of it often come at night, as that’s when many people find themselves grinding or clenching their teeth. This can cause sleep problems and fatigue throughout the day.
TMJ often gets progressively worse and you have further problems with your jaw. You may have issues with opening and closing your mouth or your jaw starting to lock up. This can cause a lot of pain and make it difficult to stay asleep if your jaw is constantly in pain or clicking and popping. More stress is then caused because you’re dealing with this issue and then the lack of sleep that it caused.
Another cause of TMJ problems is a sleep disorder, such as obstructive sleep apnea. If you find yourself snoring or waking up gasping for air in the middle of the night, you may have this condition. Obstructive sleep apnea can compound with TMJ disorders, causing a further lack of sleep and furthering the cycle that stress and lack of sleep can cause.
Treatment for both of these conditions can let you get a good night’s sleep again. Coastal Virginia Sleep Solutions offers treatment for TMJ conditions and obstructive sleep apnea. Treatment can include a variety of things, depending on what Dr. Harper thinks will work best for you. This can include things like oral appliance therapy and participating in sleep studies to further the understanding of your specific condition.
Sleep Apnea Treatment in Hampton Roads, Virginia
Don’t let the stress of this pandemic interfere with a good night’s sleep. Call us or schedule an appointment online!