The What and Why of Sleep Apnea
Have you ever been told you snore?
This is the first question on our Epworth Sleepiness questionnaire. This sound can be more than just an annoyance to your family, it can lead to chronic health issues and even death. Because of these concerns, we offer a simple sleep test that we can send home with you for a night. The following day, we are able to generate a sleep report that can possibly save your life!
Sleep apnea is defined as a reduction or cessation of breathing during sleep. The three types of apnea are: central, obstructive or the combination of the two.
Obstructive sleep apnea is due to upper airway obstruction and central apnea occurs when your brain doesn’t send your muscles the signals to control breathing. Both of these types of apnea cause stress on the brain, causing mood disorders like anxiety and depression, memory loss, and slow reaction time. Apnea also increases your chances of having a stroke. And it’s not just your brain that is affected by these two types of apnea. Your heart is under a great deal of stress during these events, which can lead to high blood pressure, congestive heart failure and heart attack. These events also increase your risk for hormone and sexual dysfunction.
If these are some things you or your loved one have been dealing with, wouldn’t you like to know if sleep apnea could be a contributing factor?
If you are diagnosed with sleep apnea, there are solutions that will contribute to a healthier, more energized you. CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) machines are often recommended by physicians, but the truth is only 30% of people will wear them. This statistic leaves a high percentage of people suffering with a potentially deadly condition that is going untreated.
The good news is there is an alternative to the CPAP machine for those that have been diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea. Oral sleep appliances are custom made here at our office. Once the appliance is adjusted into position, we confirm its effectiveness with the home sleep test to ensure you are getting a healthy night’s sleep.
Additional information can be found at https://origindentalwellness.com/services/sleep-apnea/ or call 918.74.SMILE to start sleeping as you were meant to!