How To Help Distinguish Sleep Apnea From Other Sleep Issues
Millions of people throughout the United States suffer from sleep disturbances. In fact, by many estimates, sleep disturbances are the most common health problem in the United States.
Unfortunately, sleep problems can be caused by dozens of factors that all interact on many levels. That means it can be hard to get to the bottom of what’s really causing the issue.
Eliminating caffeine before bed, removing all sources of light — no matter how faint — from the sleeping area are important steps for getting better rest. But what if they don’t work?
Obstructive sleep apnea is a condition that leads to an unusual sleep disturbance: One in which you can fall asleep effectively and at a regular time, but will either quickly wake up, or will feel tired in the morning.
If you suspect obstructive sleep apnea, it’s a good idea to keep a sleep journal for several weeks. The condition has few other obvious signs, and your sleep patterns could help you get a positive diagnosis.
Sleep apnea can also cause you to snore, so if you have a sleeping partner, be sure to find out whether or not you have been snoring more often or more loudly since you started to notice a decreased quality of sleep.
To help your doctor, record all of the following:
- What time you went to sleep
- How long it took to fall asleep
- What time you woke up
- How rested you felt
If You Have A Sleep Problem That Won’t Go Away, Ask Community Dental Group
The vast majority of sleep disturbances have nothing to do with your dental or oral health, but there is a small, very important subset that simply can’t be treated any other way.
If you have sleep disturbances that don’t seem to be going away and that other health professionals are baffled by, the answer could be found in obstructive sleep apnea.
Even highly trained general practitioners often have difficulty making this diagnosis, so set an appointment with Community Dental Group to find out if this is the solution to your worries.
Once it has been effectively diagnosed, obstructive sleep apnea can usually be completely mitigated through the use of a simple dental appliance. Although this won’t make the underlying structural issue go away, it will almost always restore your quality of sleep.
Want to learn more? Email or call Community Dental Group. For nearly twenty years, we’ve served people just like you in Westlake Village, Newbury Park, and Thousand Oaks.