Sleep Apnea, Wellbeing and Beauty

By Arthur M. Strauss, DDS

The position of the tongue is controlled by muscles in the head and neck. Obstructive sleep apnea results from deep relaxation while asleep. Essentially, with loss of muscle tone the tongue falls into the throat blocking the airway. While we are awake, our increased muscle tone helps to keep the airway open. Subconsciously our posture and positioning is constantly adjusting to ensure our ease of breathing.

When we have to do this, it causes a great deal of stress on the body. After all, being able to breathe is the highest priority. If you can't breathe you die. So, the mind and body have to work very hard to make sure the airway stays open, and frankly, we are not even aware that all this is going on.

The body, by design, knows how to keep itself alive, and compensates for any structural compromise to airflow by

Clenching and/or grinding teeth (more often during sleep)

Adrenaline is secreted to increase muscle tone, breathing and circulation

Postural changes to help maintain airflow

The Impact On Beauty

Tooth clenching and grinding is associated with TMJ issues of pain and poor posture. Worn teeth from grinding often decrease facial support leading to wrinkles and frown lines from jaw and facial muscle changes.

Increased adrenaline causes increased stress. Too much stress adversely affects both beauty and health.

Changes in posture, including forward head position, predisposes us to musculoskeletal pain, compression of the rib cage, and decreased lung capacity.

For every inch your head moves forward, the head gains 10 pounds in weight and the muscles in your upper back and neck have to work harder to maintain posture.

The amount of stress can also contribute to things like osteoporosis. The chronic stress response from the adrenal glands affects the other glands of the endocrine system and the body's ability to absorb and assimilate calcium.

This illustrates that the effects of OSA are widespread, and contribute to many health conditions, many of which also affect your beauty.

The concept of Oral Systemic Balance (OSB) helps address the relationships of OSA to our physical and emotional stress, health, beauty and wellbeing.

To address these concerns speak with an OSB focused dentist who specializes in sleep apnea to see how you can live a better, more beautiful life today.