What Are The Warning Signs Of Sleep Apnea?
There’s a 99% chance you don’t know what’s happening to your body when you’re fast asleep.
From sleepwalking to talking in your sleep to snoring, it’s not something you do consciously.
But you’ll definitely feel the effects of it the next morning.
We’re talking specifically about sleep apnea, the collapsing of your throat in the middle of the night.
In this blog, we’ll discuss:
- What sleep apnea is
- The warning signs of sleep apnea
- How to beat sleep apnea
- And more
Keep reading to learn about sleep apnea.
What is sleep apnea?
Sleep apnea is a sleep disorder in which your flow of oxygen is restricted, leading to disrupted breathing patterns.
It occurs when your throat muscles collapse in your sleep, blocking air.
This leads to:
- Snoring
- Mouth breathing
- Gasping for air multiple times throughout the night
These disruptions prevent you from reaching the deep, restful phase of sleep known as the REM cycle.
And this lack of oxygen increases your risk of:
- Stroke
- Cardiovascular disease
- Other heart conditions
What are the warning signs of sleep apnea?
The most common sign of sleep apnea is chronic snoring and excessive daytime sleepiness.
Since your body can’t reach the deep cycle of sleep needed to actually rest and repair cells, you’ll find yourself dosing off in the middle of the day.
Other symptoms of sleep apnea include
- Waking up to a dry mouth
- Morning headaches
- Dizziness
- Irritability
- High blood pressure
Sleep apnea may also be linked to temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorder.
Is sleep apnea genetic?
There’s strong evidence… This text opens a new tab to the National Library of Medicine website… that sleep apnea is genetic.
A family history of obstructive sleep apnea may increase your risk.
There are other factors that put you at increased risk, including
- Excess weight
- Smoking
- Asthma
- Chronic nasal congestion
However, it’s important to note anyone can develop sleep apnea.
How to beat sleep apnea
Your doctor may recommend sleep apnea treatment to alleviate your symptoms.
Sleep appliances are a popular method to improve sleep.
It’s able to align your jaw into its optimal resting position, allowing your brain to get the necessary oxygen it needs throughout the night.
By comfortably opening your airway, you’ll be able to breathe through your nose and enjoy a restful night of sleep.
Where can I get sleep apnea treatment in Kennesaw, GA?
Dr. Eric Duncan and our caring dental team at Brookpointe Dental are ready to improve your quality of life by fixing the root causes of sleep apnea disorder.
He’ll customize your sleep device to your unique facial and bone structure, so you’ll be able to kiss sleep apnea goodnight (for good.)
His expertise includes thousands of hours in:
- Continuing education with an emphasis on head, neck, and facial pain treatment
- Dental cosmetics
- Dental reconstruction.
Dr. Duncan is one of less than 1% of dentists worldwide to complete the full mouth curriculum at the world-renowned Las Vegas Institute for Advanced Dental Studies.
Take control of your life. Don’t let sleep apnea disrupt your daily routine anymore.
Or:
- Call us at 770-974-7188
- Email us at drduncanoffice@comcast.net
Our office is conveniently located in Kennesaw, GA,… This text opens a new tab to the Google Maps website… and we happily welcome patients from the neighboring communities, including Marietta, Acworth, Woodstock, Fair Oaks, Northeast Cobb, Emerson, Cartersville, Dallas, and Powder Springs, GA.
