Snoring and Sleep Apnea

Sleep apnea is a fairly common disorder that occurs when tissues in the upper airways come too close to each other while you are sleeping, temporarily blocking the inflow of air. In can happen to anyone, but is more common in people who are overweight, men, people 40 or older and smokers.

Common sleep apnea symptoms include being excessively tired during the day, having morning headaches, impaired mental or emotional functioning and the one that bothers your spouse SNORING.

And snoring is where your dentist comes into the picture. Your dentist can fit you with a snore guard and that's a great first step, because in some cases, relieving the snoring problem is the first defense in curing or preventing sleep apnea. Often a snore guard is covered by your medical or dental insurance. If snoring is a concern, see your dentist before resorting to more costly solutions.

There a few simple things you do to improve your condition Sleep on your back, not on your side. Do not drink alcohol within 4 hours of going to bed. If you are overweight, even a small weight loss can improve your apnea. Finally, if you smoke, stopping will make a difference. You can talk to you dentist about other options including dental and breathing devices and surgical procedures.

It's possible not to even know you have sleep apnea. However,sleep apnea is associated with a number of other diseases, although medical science hasn't determined why, So you are aware of them, here is what they are

Diabetes

Obesity

Pulmonary hypertension

Asthma. Seizures, epilepsy, and other nerve disorders

Headaches

High risk pregnancies

Eye disorders

Some of the biggest challenges with sleep apnea are the potential for depression and irritability that can come from lack of sleep and the affect on a bed partner who can lose sleep due to the disturbance caused by snoring. Try some of the simple solutions mentioned and talk to your dentist who can help you assess the severity of your problem and help identify solutions.

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