The Warning Signs Of Sleep Apnea

Do you think that you suffer from having sleep apnea? If so, it may actually be worth talking to your dentist about this problem. Here are some of the warning signs that you should take into consideration so you can take steps to treat your problem.

Nighttime Snoring

The most obvious warning sign that your partner may notice is snoring during the night. While it may seem like it is something that cannot be prevented, sleep apnea-induced snoring can actually be treated and stopped in many situations.

Gasping For Air While Sleeping

Have you ever woken up with the sensation that you cannot catch your breath and start gasping for air? You may have had a brief moment where you actually stop breathing during the night, which is enough to wake you up and cause that sensation of not being able to catch your breath.

Daytime Fatigue

Those problems with not getting a good night's sleep can lead to feeling tired during the day. Even if you are getting 8 hours of sleep, if they are not hours of quality sleep, you'll still be waking up feeling tired. Think twice about why you are immediately grabbing a cup of coffee as soon as you wake up in the morning when you feel like you went to bed early.

Obesity

A common cause of sleep apnea is being overweight. While being overweight doesn't necessarily mean that you will have sleep apnea, it is more likely to happen to those people who have extra fat around the neck area that can inhibit their breathing while they sleep.

High Blood Pressure

If you have a known problem with high blood pressure, that may be due to an existing problem with sleep apnea. You will definitely want to see treatment to reduce the signs and symptoms so that you can get your blood pressure down to a safe level. 

Sleep Apnea Treatment 

One way that your dentist can help with sleep apnea is by creating a dental appliance that you wear at night to help you deal with snoring. The goal is to open up the airways so that you are not snoring and more and are able to breathe much easier. When you combine the dental appliance with exercise and a change in diet to lose weight, you'll start seeing those improvements that help reduce daytime fatigue and lower your high blood pressure. 

For more information, contact dental clinics like Jerry C Hu DDS Family Dentistry LLC.


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