Are You Worried You Might Have Sleep Apnea?

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For people who’ve heard about obstructive sleep apnea, or OSA, things like chronic snoring can take on a whole new significance. That’s because chronic snoring is one of the characteristic signs of having sleep apnea, and if you snore often enough, you may start to worry that OSA is the reason. Today, we take a closer look at what having obstructive sleep apnea means, and how we can help you identify and treat the condition if you’re worried that you might be suffering from it.

A closer look at obstructive sleep apnea

Obstructive sleep apnea, often referred to as just sleep apnea, is a chronic sleeping disorder that results from interruptions to your breathing cycle. These interruptions come in the form of oral and/or throat tissues collapsing into your airway as you sleep, blocking the passage of air as you breathe. Snoring results and grows louder as this obstruction grows, until the blockage becomes complete and stops you from breathing altogether. After your body clears the airway and you start breathing again, the pattern of airway obstruction will repeat itself, continuing to interrupt your sleep and breathing cycles.

The symptoms that can accompany OSA

The chronic and loud snoring pattern that accompanies sleep apnea is one of the reasons why patients may worry they have it. If you snore every night and home remedies don’t help you stop, then an airway obstruction may be the source of it. In addition to snoring, however, sleep apnea can result in several other symptoms manifesting themselves over time. Because the constant interruptions to your sleep cycle can prevent you from reaching deep, restful levels of sleep each night, those symptoms can often include signs of sleep deprivation, such as:

  • Getting tired faster every day
  • Feelings of being unwell
  • Increased irritability and/or mood swings
  • Difficulty concentrating on simple tasks
  • Trouble with short and long-term memory
  • And more

A more comfortable sleep apnea treatment

If you have sleep apnea and are worried about getting the restful sleep your mind and body need, then your dentist may be able to provide you with a comfortable, custom-designed solution. For many patients who have sleep apnea, a custom-made sleep apnea appliance can help keep their airways clear as they sleep at night. This can also help you avoid the sleep apnea episodes that prevent you from sleeping peacefully so you can stop snoring and enjoy more restful sleep.

Learn if you can benefit from sleep apnea treatment

If you’re worried that you might be experiencing sleep apnea episodes, then ask us about the benefits of customized sleep apnea treatment. To learn more, call our Cleveland Family Dentistry office in Cleveland, TX, today at (281) 592-1234. We also serve the residents of Kingwood, Conroe, Livingston, and all surrounding communities.