Did Your Heart Get a Good Night’s Sleep? A Personal Experience.
As many of my patients know I was born with a heart defect that was surgically repaired when I was 20 years old. At that time open heart surgery was very experimental but since I’m still here it obviously worked but with some residual damage.
In spite of the successful surgery my heart does not function as efficiently as a normal person. Doctors use a measurement of heart efficiency which is called the “ejection fraction”. This is a measurement of how much blood your heart pumps with each beat. In a healthy heart this number should be around 55. Last year at this time my number was 25. I was exhausted and even climbing a flight of steps was daunting. My doctors were concerned.
My doctor asked me about my sleep patterns. I told the truth that I was so restless, snored so much and thrashed around that my wife refused to sleep in the same bed with me, at least that’s the reason she gave. Not only that but I felt like I constantly needed a nap. The doctor suggested I have a sleep study which I reluctantly did.
The results were startling. I have severe sleep apnea which was placing a huge strain on my heart. A CPAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure) machine was suggested. I hated the idea but since I felt so tired I decided to give it a try. The first month was challenging and I can see why some people cannot use a CPAP machine. I persevered and now I feel rested during the day and have more energy.
I had a cardiac checkup yesterday and my ejection fraction was up to 35, a very significant increase. The only thing that has changed is getting a good night’s sleep. I am healthier and my energy has improved because of good sleep habits.
I am writing this to encourage people who do not feel rested, wake up frequently, snore excessively or have heart problems of any kind to get a sleep study. If it turns out that you have sleep apnea there are solutions that can really improve your health and the quality of your life. While CPAP is effective for many people there are also many people who are intolerant or refuse to use CPAP. Oral appliances are an alternative that have proven effective for many people.
Dr. Steinberg, who has extensive training in dental sleep medicine, has treated many patients over the years with appliances when CPAP was not viable.
Please call our office at 215-735-8844 or visit our website for more information.
Dr Gerald Weger
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