Sleep Apnea
Surprise, AZ
Have you thought about sleep? We think about sleep all of the time, because we know that it is really important for our well-being. We also know that many people don’t get the sleep they need. In fact, at any one time, over half of American adults aren’t getting the sleep they need. This isn’t good for your body or your mind. Many Americans have a condition called sleep apnea that can cause them to miss hours of sleep. Sleep apnea, if left untreated, can be fatal. There are treatments available to help you feel better and get a great night’s sleep. Let Surprise Oral & Implant Surgery take some time to tell you more about sleep apnea and how it is treated.
What Are the Signs of Sleep Apnea?
Sleep apnea is a condition that affects 22 million Americans each year. Sleep apnea is not an illness, it is a disorder that interrupts your sleep. When you have sleep apnea, you actually stop breathing for a few seconds many times during the night. When you stop breathing, your body has to do extra work to restart your breathing. That means your body has to constantly wake you up in the middle of the night in order to breathe. You may not even know it is happening, but you constantly lose sleep.
There are definite signs of sleep apnea. Your partner may say that you snore very loudly. Your partner may also tell you that he or she notices you stop breathing while you are sleeping. If you get a full night’s sleep, but you wake up exhausted, you may have sleep apnea. Other signs of sleep apnea include headache, insomnia, and a rise in blood pressure.
Some people have a greater chance of having sleep apnea than others. People who are obese have a greater chance of sleep apnea. People with large necks that are bigger than 17 inches are also at a greater risk for sleep apnea. If you are middle-aged, you are also at a higher risk for sleep apnea. Men suffer from sleep apnea at a higher rate than women do. Also, if you have high blood pressure, you have a greater chance of getting sleep apnea.
Treatment for Sleep Apnea
While sleep apnea sounds scary, there are lots of different ways we can treat sleep apnea. One method of treatment is a CPAP mask, which helps you breathe at night. However, there are many people who don’t like wearing the mask. Another treatment involves a procedure that helps to reduce the size of tissues in your throat, which contributes to sleep apnea. There are also oral appliances that we can make for you to help you breathe better at night. A lot of people like this option, because it is non-invasive, portable, and doesn’t make any noise. Oral appliances move your jaw forward so that you can breathe easily while you sleep.
Are you worried about your level of sleep? Do you have some concerns that you have sleep apnea? If you are worried about your sleep, and how much sleep you’re getting each night, why not give our team Surprise Oral & Implant Surgery a call at (623) 263-5042?
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