When You Might Need Sleep Apnea Treatment
 Sleep is an incredibly important part of your life. Not only is important to get enough sleep each night, but it is also important to get quality sleep. Sleep is a restorative process that allows your body to rest and repair itself, enabling you to function properly, and at your best, during the day. Sleep is also critical for your health and mental well-being. While having an occasional poor night of sleep is not all that uncommon, waking up day after day feeling incredibly exhausted can indicate sleep apnea. Century Dental is here to help.
Sleep apnea is a condition that affects your quality of sleep. When you have sleep apnea, you stop breathing for several seconds, multiple times during the night. Normal sleep involves two sleep cycles, each of which repeats several times while you sleep. Completing these cycles is essential for ensuring that your body can properly able to rest and repair. With sleep apnea, however, every time you stop breathing, you wake up, even if you are completely unaware. Every time you wake up and go back to sleep, your body has to start the sleep cycles all over again. The severity of sleep apnea ranges from 5 apneic events per sleeping hour to over 30 events per hour. With so many disruptions in your sleep, it is no wonder that you wake up feeling incredibly exhausted.
Symptoms of Sleep Apnea
Feeling exhausted is just one symptom of sleep apnea. There are several others that can accompany this serious issue as well. Symptoms of sleep apnea include:
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Snoring.
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Waking up with a sore or dry throat.
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Excessive daytime sleepiness.
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Difficulty concentrating or performing different tasks.
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Falling asleep during the day. You may even fall asleep while working or driving your car.
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Irritability and difficulty controlling your emotions. |
When sleep apnea goes untreated for long enough, you may also begin to experience serious health issues as well. Sleep apnea can contribute to complications like hypertension, heart disease, and diabetes. You may become more prone to health issues because your immune system is compromised. Sleep apnea can also impact your mental health, contributing to depression.
Do I Need Sleep Apnea Treatment?
Getting sleep apnea treated is essential for improving your quality of sleep and restoring your quality of life. If you, or your partner, notice snoring, in addition to other sleep apnea symptoms, it may be time to schedule an appointment for a sleep study. You may also want to schedule a sleep study if you have tried weight loss, changing sleep positions, and quitting smoking and drinking, and you still experience sleep apnea symptoms. With a sleep study, you are attached to machines that monitor your vitals, your breathing, and your muscle movements while you sleep. The information is recorded and interpreted by a sleep professional. A sleep professional can diagnose sleep apnea, or another sleep-related disorder, and prescribe treatment.
What Treatments are Available?
There are several treatments available for sleep apnea. In addition to home remedies, such as weight loss, changing sleep positions, and changing lifestyle habits, treatments include:
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C-PAP. This is a common treatment. A small machine delivers a constant stream of air through a mask worn over your nose. It aids to keep your airway open while you sleep.
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Oral appliances. We can create a custom fit oral appliance that can help to hold your lower jaw in proper alignment while you sleep. This prevents your jaw, as well as your tongue and other oral tissues, from sliding backward.
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Oral surgery. There are some different surgical procedures that may be performed to treat sleep apnea. These procedures may include removing excess oral tissues or repositioning the jaw. |
With effective treatment, you can finally get the quality sleep you need so that you can function at your best during the day. For more information, and to schedule your consultation, call Century Dental today at (971) 708-1608. |
