Sleep Apnea
If you’re having trouble falling or staying asleep, wake up gasping for air, or your significant other complains about your snoring, you may have sleep apnea.
Sleep apnea is a sleeping disorder which has severe types, with the most common type being obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). People with OSA are most likely to snore during sleep because their throat muscles are likely to relax, impeding their breathing ability. These frequent breathing stops can last up to a minute and happen continuously throughout the night. As a result, this makes the chest and diaphragm work harder to get air into your lungs. Because the breathing stops are so brief, many people with OSA don’t remember the events.
OSA can lead to a poor quality of sleep, causing you to wake up gasping for air. Other OSA symptoms include:
- Dry mouth
- Painful chest
- Loud snoring
- Daytime tiredness
- Memory impairment
- Cloudy judgement
- Morning headaches
- Inability to focus
- Irritability and other mood changes
- Depression
- Low sex drive
How is sleep apnea treated?
The great news is that sleep apnea can be effectively treated. We’ll examine your condition and may recommend a polysomnogram, which is a test to see if you have sleep apnea. A polysomnogram measures your sleeping activity and can be carried out at a sleep centre or even at home.
16th Street Dental offers personalized solutions to treat sleep apnea. One effective method is oral appliance therapy where the patient is fitted with a small oral device which they wear during sleep. The device helps to keep your airway open to promote proper breathing and enhances the quality of your sleep. The device is also small enough that it won’t interfere with your gag reflex.
If you or someone you know has sleep apnea, contact our office in Yuma to set up an appointment.