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Have you been struggling to get a good night’s sleep? Do you find yourself waking up gasping for air? You may be suffering from obstructive sleep apnea. Obstructive sleep apnea is a sleeping disorder. It occurs when the soft tissues in the throat relax too much and block the airway while you sleep. This causes patients to stop breathing momentarily multiple times throughout the night. Keep reading to learn the top 3 signs to look out for!
1. Loud, Chronic Snoring
Loud snoring is one of the most common signs of sleep apnea. If your loved ones have complained about your snoring, you may want to consider scheduling a consultation with a sleep doctor to check if you’re suffering from sleep apnea.
2. Waking Up Gasping for Air
Sleep apnea causes patients to momentarily stop breathing throughout the night. This can lead to patients waking up out of nowhere gasping for air. More often than not, this is a sign of sleep apnea.
3. Excessive Daytime Drowsiness
If you feel like you’re getting enough sleep, but still feel drowsy and unproductive, you may have sleep apnea. Patients with sleep apnea aren’t getting deep, uninterrupted sleep which leads to morning migraines, unexplained drowsiness, and trouble focusing.
Dental Treatment for Obstructive Sleep Apnea
If you have obstructive sleep apnea and haven’t enjoyed using a CPAP machine, you may be able to find a more comfortable solution at your dentist’s office! Dentists can undergo additional training to provide sleep apnea therapy. Sleep apnea therapy utilizes custom-made retainers that reposition the jaw to prevent obstructions while patients sleep. Troy Bartels, DDS, offers sleep apnea treatments at our Jonesboro, AR office. If you have a sleep apnea diagnosis and are looking for sleep solutions, please contact us to schedule your consultation!
