FEELING A BIT TIRED at times during the day is completely normal, even with a good night’s sleep. Some people, however, struggle every night for a restful sleep, especially those with sleep apnea.
Did you know that one in five adults has obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) with 80 percent of cases going undiagnosed? This condition can disrupt your sleep and increase your risk of severe health problems.
What Is Sleep Apnea?
Sleep apnea occurs when your muscles relax during sleep, allowing soft tissue to collapse and block the airway. This can cause a person to stop breathing hundreds of times per night, immensely disrupting their sleep. Here are some indications of a problem:
- Morning headaches
- Excessive daytime drowsiness
- Irritability
- Impaired mental or emotional functioning
- Insomnia
- Excessive snoring, choking or gasping during sleep
- Waking with dry mouth or sore throat
We Can Help
After being diagnosed with a sleep study, the most common form of treatment for sleep apnea is continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy. Although the machine is very cumbersome, it is a very effective and often the first choice for treatment. Oral appliance therapy that dentists provide is another form of treatment but has many downsides and side side effects as well.
Oral Appliance Therapy
Oral appliance therapy uses a mouth guard-like device to maintain an open, unobstructed airway while you sleep.
Don’t Ignore Sleep Apnea
Never underestimate the power of a good night’s rest! The quality of your sleep is extremely important to your overall health and well-being.
Top image by Flickr user Marcelo Braga used under Creative Commons Attribution-Sharealike 4.0 license. Image cropped and modified from original.
The content on this blog is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of qualified health providers with questions you may have regarding medical conditions.
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