How are you doing on your New Year’s resolutions? Many people who make them try to focus on being healthier. That usually means eating better and getting more exercise.
But it should also include something else — getting better sleep.
Health experts have pointed out a number of benefits of healthy sleep. That’s also why it is so important to treat obstructive sleep apnea if you have it. OSA may be preventing you or someone you care about from getting the deep, quality sleep that you need and deserve.
And, believe it or not, our team at Perfect-A-Smile Dental Group in Chagrin Falls, OH has a treatment for this sleep disorder.
Keep reading to learn about the symptoms of sleep apnea, and about how we could help you manage it. Call 440-336-8939 today to schedule an appointment with one of our doctors.
Understanding Sleep Apnea
Sleep apnea is a condition that causes people to stop breathing when they fall asleep. If that sounds a little scary, we understand. People with sleep apnea are more likely to suffer cardiovascular disease, heart attacks, and strokes. They also are more likely to be in car accidents, too.
When you don’t breathe as you should, it affects your body in a number of ways, including preventing you from getting healthy sleep. For people with OSA (the most common type of sleep apnea), your breathing stops because your airways become obstructed when you fall asleep.
This can be because you have a narrow airway, tissues that collapse into your airway when you drift off, or a combination of factors. Depending on the severity of your condition, you may have breathing stoppages dozens or even hundreds of times each night.
When you have sleep apnea, you may have one or more of the following symptoms:
- Loud and frequent snoring
- Frequent breathing stoppages
- Frequent struggles with daytime sleepiness
- Waking up still feeling tired (sleep deprived)
- Waking up often with headaches
- Waking up with a dry mouth
Please visit us soon if you are noticing these signs.
Treating Sleep Apnea
To treat this condition, you need to keep your airway open while you are asleep. While CPAP therapy is often recommended, more than half of CPAP users will quit within 12 months for a variety of reasons.
As an alternative, we can create an oral appliance that you wear while you sleep. Each appliance is custom-fitted for that patient, which makes it more comfortable to wear. Now, you may need some time to get used to sleeping with the appliance, but it has proven to be quite effective for many of our patients in and around Chagrin Falls.
The appliance slightly shifts the position of your lower jaw. This can keep your airway open. That allows you to continue breathing, which lets you get the deep sleep that you need and deserve.
Start Sleeping Better Soon
Whether you have obstructive sleep apnea or someone else’s snoring is keeping you awake, getting treatment is the best option. At Perfect-A-Smile Dental Group, our goal is to help you stay as healthy as you can be.
Call 440-336-8939 or contact us online to request an appointment soon.