A Deeper Reason For Your Fatigue
We all get that feeling sometimes. That feeling when you have slept for a full eight hours, but seem to be dragging through the day. Often there is a good reason for our sleepiness; maybe we are coming down with a cold, maybe the weather is making us burn our energy to stay warm, or maybe we just need more sleep to catch up on some we lost earlier in the week. The reasons are plenty and nothing to be too concerned over.
However, if you find it difficult to get through each day because you are just plain exhausted, it could indicate a deeper issue. Consider some of the following issues in combination with your feelings of fatigue.
• Morning headaches
• Loud and excessive snoring
• Dry mouth upon waking
• Pauses in breathing while sleeping
• Choking or gasping for breath during sleep
Some of these issues might not be easy for you to know about if you sleep alone, but your spouse or partner might be able to clue you in. Maybe they already make snide comments about your loud, sleep disturbing snoring. If these issues sound like a perfect match for you, you might have obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).
Why It Happens
OSA happens when the soft tissue in the back of your throat relaxes during sleep and blocks the airway; this can cause you to snore loudly. Since your breathing is interrupted, you will actually awaken briefly many times in the night. You usually won’t even know that you were awake, but your brain knows and it reacts by making you feel exhausted all day.
Who To Call
If you think that you might have sleep apnea, the first appointment should be with your doctor. There are many different devices on the market that can help in treating your problem so that you can get back to sleeping better at night. There are full mask contraptions that cover your face and will assist in keeping your air flow going, but you might find it difficult to get used to. If you are one of the people who has a tough time with a full mask, your next appointment should be with your dentist. Yes, your dentist.
There are two common dental devices for treating sleep apnea, and your dentist might be able to help you with those devices. Worn like a mouth guard, the dental devices help you to keep your tongue in place while you sleep, keeping your airway open. They are found to be effective in those who have mild-to-moderate sleep apnea.
Don’t let fatigue keep you from enjoying your life and don’t let your snoring keep away your wife!