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There are so many reasons it’s important to have a good night’s sleep that May has been declared Good Sleep month. Dr. Martin Abelar helps many patients achieve a better night’s sleep through oral appliance therapy (OAT) as an alternative to CPAP for sleep apnea. In honor of Good Sleep month, here are some of the reasons to make sure you are catching all of your ZZZs.

People who get their full eight hours of sleep are less likely to gain weight. When you don’t get enough sleep, your brain over produces cortisol, a stress hormone that decreases metabolism and can increase cravings for fatty foods.

In addition to causing the body to store reserves of fat, cortisol increases blood pressure, which in turn makes you more vulnerable to these two health problems. It’s thought that the increase in blood pressure brought on by stress hormones serves a biological function to make oxygen available to your brain and muscles to prepare you for fight or flight. However, when excess cortisol is constantly present due to lack of proper sleep, the results can be disastrous. People who don’t get a good night’s sleep are more likely to have a heart attack or stroke.

People who get enough sleep are less likely to have inflammation in their bodies. This is caused by another hormone influenced by sleep quality, known as Creatinine. Increased creatinine levels are present in a number of inflammatory autoimmune conditions such as lupus and Crohn’s disease.

To learn more about sleep apnea and oral appliance therapy contact our office at 858-866-9692.