Restless nights of sleep, feeling completely sleep deprived in the morning. Possibly waking yourself from snoring, in the little sleep you are getting. All of these feelings are common symptoms of suffering from sleep apnea.
Sleep apnea is a disorder that people can have, that disrupts your night’s sleep, causing you to wake yourself through the night – a lot of the times, multiple times by the minute. The reason people suffer from waking up is because of their lack of breathing, which typically sparks heavy snoring. If you find yourself feeling tired even after sleeping fully through the night, seek dental treatment for sleep apnea.
When you go to the dentist, you may be put through a sleep test. During this sleep test, you will be attached to monitors that will track your breathing, and lack thereof. This will allow your doctor effectively manage your sleep apnea, if that is the disorder you are facing.
There are different types of sleep apnea, but these are the main three:
- Obstructive sleep apnea: this is one of the more common forms of sleep apnea. This is when your throat muscles relax.
- Central sleep apnea: this type of sleep apnea occurs when your brain is not sending proper signals to the muscles that control your breathing.
- Complex sleep apnea syndrome: this is also called treatment-emergent central sleep apnea, which occurs when someone has obstructive sleep apnea and central sleep apnea.
Sleep apnea is a very serious disorder. If you are suffering from the aforementioned symptoms, seek treatment. There is a multitude of ways your doctor can treat your sleep apnea, depending on the severity. From mouth appliances to breathing machines, there is a fix for it all. If not taken care of, sleep apnea has the chance to cause other health issues.
If you believe sleep apnea is plaguing you, you should contact your dentist at your earliest convenience. It can become detrimental to your health if you do not get help, causing oxygen intake issues, among other major issues. Contact your dental team for assistance.