Can Sleep Apnea Cause Noticeable Issues with Dreaming?

Sleep apnea is a serious condition that can leave you feeling groggy during the day, but the problems don’t stop there. It can also lead to other issues, one of which being changes in your dreams. While some people may experience fewer dreams because of the condition, others can find themselves facing frightening nightmares. As you continue reading, you’ll learn more about these problems and find out how a sleep apnea dentist can help you recover.

Why Does Sleep Apnea Affect Your Dreams?

Dreams typically happen during the stage of sleep called REM (rapid eye movement). For a typical person, this stage is entered around 90 minutes after falling asleep, and it usually represents about 20% of the sleep cycle for adults.

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), which is the most common form of sleep apnea, occurs predominantly during REM. Because of this, it can have a significant impact on the frequency and type of dreams experienced, and even your ability to remember them.

How Your Dreams Can be Affected

According to somnomed.com, 71.4 percent of people without sleep apnea remember their dreams, while only 43.2 percent of sleep patients have recall. There is also evidence of people with sleep apnea experiencing fewer dreams, and both issues have been attributed to OSA striking during the REM phase.

While OSA can reduce the number of dreams experienced throughout a sleep cycle, it doesn’t eliminate dreaming all together. People with OSA are more prone than normal sleepers to having nightmares.

One reason for this may be the interruption in breathing associated with OSA. When the windpipe becomes blocked, the struggle to regain breathing can be incorporated into the dream. For example, some patients have reported having nightmares of being buried under sand.

There is a Solution

Have you noticed a decline in dreaming, or have you been experiencing nightmares more often than normal? These could be signs that you’re suffering from some form of sleep apnea. Here are some other symptoms to be on the lookout for:

• Lost libido
• Irritability
• Inability to focus
• Morning headaches
• Morning throat soreness

The first step to having more pleasant dreams and reversing the above symptoms is to bring it to your doctor’s attention. In most cases, you’ll be referred to a sleep disorder center. After taking a brief quiz and any other tests needed, a sleep dentist can provide you with a custom oral appliance. It will keep your airway open while you sleep to prevent bouts of apnea, and help you get the quality rest you need.

By taking action today, you can get on the road to having normal dreams and leading a healthier life!

About the Author

Dr. Robert G. Dernick is a graduate of the University of Texas Dental Branch at Houston. With several years of experience treating sleep apnea and other sleep disordered breathing (SDB) problems, he is capable of helping you get the rest you need. Dr. Dernick provides care in a safe and clean environment, and he can be reached for more information through his website.