How To Discover If You Are Suffering From Sleep Apnea
Millions of people all around the United States suffer from a wide variety of sleep disturbances and disorders. Experts have estimated that these disturbances cost many millions of dollars a year in terms of lost productivity, medical bills, and many other complications.
When you have a significant problem with sleep, you’ll generally be able to get the most help from your general practitioner, not from your dentist. However, there is one major sleep disorder that you can actually resolve with the help of Community Dental Group.
It’s called sleep apnea, and it’s responsible for a significant number of sleeping problems each year. If you have sleep apnea, it’s important to get it diagnosed and treated, since an overall lack of sleep can contribute to other health problems and make you more prone to accidents.
What Is Sleep Apnea And How Can A Dentist Assist You With It?
There are two kinds of sleep apnea, but the one that dentists can help with is called “obstructive sleep apnea.” In a case of obstructive sleep apnea, the structure of your windpipe “collapses” during sleep, temporarily blocking off your airflow.
Because your body will immediately react when you are not able to breathe, cases of asphyxiation by sleep apnea are all but unheard of. However, in order to restore your regular breathing, your body forces you awake for a brief time.
These brief periods of wakefulness might not leave you fully alert. In fact, you might not even be aware of them. But they have a significant negative impact on the quality of your sleep.
When sleep apnea has been isolated as the cause of your sleep disturbance, a very simple dental appliance can be used to help you sleep better by preventing the nightly obstruction.
The Big Challenge: Learning Whether You Have Sleep Apnea
Many people have sleep apnea for a long time without ever realizing it. There are a few ways that you can gather more information on your sleeping pattern, and perhaps discover the truth.
First, ask any sleeping partner about your sleep habits. Generally, sleep apnea leads to brief, explosive periods of restlessness, accompanied by snoring, which both are easy to notice.
Second, keep a sleep journal making yourself aware of when you went to bed, how long it took to fall asleep, and when you woke up. This will eliminate other possible sleep disorders and sources of tiredness from your situation.
Third, consider using a smartphone or webcam to monitor yourself while sleeping. This can help you review your own sleeping posture, patterns, and behavior and make notes for your doctor.
If you are concerned about sleep apnea, take action. Whether in Thousand Oaks, Newbury Park, or Westlake Village, call us at Community Dental Group to learn how we can help you.