Alcohol Consumption May Worsen TMD and Sleep Apnea Symptoms
Alcohol is a depressant that affects your sleep pattern. For patients with TMD, alcohol may cause you to tense up your muscles, including those in the jaw. For patients with sleep apnea, the effects are the opposite. Alcohol causes the throat muscles to relax more, and this may worsen your symptoms and the way that you feel the next day. Dr. Sultan recommends that you closely monitor your alcohol intake and drink plenty of water.
How Fatigue and a Lack of Sleep Affect TMD and Sleep Apnea
The most exciting part of New Year’s Eve is the moment when the clock strikes midnight, and the celebration may be just starting. Research has shown that not getting enough sleep contributes to the symptoms of TMD because your brain is busy managing the pain rather than resting. When you are extremely tired, you may enter a deeper state of sleep that increases the likelihood of experiencing sleep apnea symptoms. Dr. Sultan understands that New Year’s Eve is typically a late night, so resting before you go out can help you stay rested.
Late Night Conversations and TMD
You use your jaw every day, and talking is probably the activity that you engage in the most. During the New Year’s celebration, we tend to talk, laugh and yell more often than other days, and this can lead to overusing the jaw joint and muscles. Dr. Sultan recommends taking breaks from talking and avoiding yelling and other activities that require you to open your mouth wide.
Want to Learn More About Managing TMD and Sleep Apnea? Contact Sultan Center for Oral Facial Surgery.
To learn more about treatments for TMD, sleep apnea, facial injuries, impacted wisdom teeth and our other services, contact Sultan Center for Oral Facial Surgery. You can also contact our Fort Lauderdale office directly at (954) 771-8772.
