No adult wants to admit that they occasionally wet the bed. After all, bedwetting is something usually associated with young children. However, bedwetting can also occur in adults – especially if you are affected by sleep apnea. Fortunately, an experienced dentist can help you overcome sleep apnea and its embarrassing warning signs. Keep reading to learn about the link between adult bedwetting and sleep apnea and how to seek treatment.
What Is Sleep Apnea?
Sleep apnea is a common sleep disorder that affects an estimated 20 million Americans. People with sleep apnea experience short breathing interruptions dozens or even hundreds of times a night. There are two main types of sleep apnea:
- Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) – The most common form of this sleep disorder, OSA occurs when the muscles in the back of the throat relax and block the airway.
- Central sleep apnea – This type of sleep apnea occurs when the brain fails to send signals to the muscles in the throat and upper body responsible for breathing.
Because sleep apnea causes breathing interruptions at night while people sleep, many individuals don’t realize they are affected by the disorder. However, sleep apnea can have very serious health consequences if left untreated. In fact, research has linked sleep apnea to high blood pressure, diabetes, stroke, heart attacks, and more.
How Is Sleep Apnea Linked to Adult Bedwetting?
If you have recently started to wet the bed and are looking for an explanation, sleep apnea could be the answer. According to the Western Journal of Medicine, almost 10% of people with sleep apnea experience bedwetting. Researchers believe this occurs because the brain must work extra hard to keep the body functioning when sleep apnea disrupts the flow of oxygen. While the brain is focused on maintaining proper oxygen levels, it doesn’t pay as much attention to bladder control.
Even if you do not consistently wet the bed due to sleep apnea, you may find yourself waking up multiple times a night to use the bathroom. According to the American Sleep Apnea Association, over 80% of all sleep apnea patients report frequent nighttime urination.
How to Treat Sleep Apnea
The traditional way of treating sleep apnea is with a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine. This device pumps air through a facemask that must be worn at night. While CPAP machines are effective at maintaining airflow, many patients have trouble comfortably sleeping while wearing the mask.
These days, there is a convenient and effective alternative to CPAP machines known as oral appliance therapy. An oral appliance is a small custom-made mouthpiece, usually provided by a dentist, that repositions the jaw to prevent your airway from becoming blocked. Consistently wearing a custom oral appliance at night can be a highly effective method for correcting sleep apnea.
While wetting the bed can be embarrassing, untreated sleep apnea can be downright dangerous. Talk to an experienced dentist today to see if you can benefit from oral appliance therapy.
About the Author
Dr. Dean Hutto has over 25 years of experience helping Baytown area residents overcome sleep apnea. An active member of the American Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine, he offers several different types of high-quality oral appliances at his private practice. To learn more about the signs of sleep apnea, visit the Sleep Better Baytown website or call 281-422-8249.