Sleep disorders treated at Bandeen Orthodontics and Center for Dental Sleep Medicine
Do you constantly feel sleepy during the day? There are a lot of people out there who feel the same way. There is a condition called Sleep Apnea which can keep you from sleeping well, and a lot of people don’t even know that they have it.
Sleep Apnea is a common “sleep disorder”. The term “sleep disorder” means exactly what it sounds like. Sleep disorders are problems with sleeping that prevent people from getting adequate rest while sleeping. Some people will even sleep a lot, but if the quality of the sleep is poor because of a sleep disorder then they will still feel tired. Sleep Apnea is characterized by brief interruptions of breathing during sleep. Those interruptions of breathing cause you wake up a little bit over and over. The constant interruptions to sleep can result in a really bad night’s sleep. If it happens every night, then you’ll feel tired all of the time.
The most common symptom of sleep apnea is excessive daytime sleepiness. Other symptoms of sleep apnea can be restless sleep, teeth clenching/grinding (also known as bruxism), loud snoring (with periods of silence followed by gasps), falling asleep during the day, morning headaches, trouble concentrating, irritability, forgetfulness, mood or behavior changes, anxiety, and depression. Not everyone who has these symptoms has sleep apnea, but it is recommended that people who are experiencing even a few of these symptoms or suspect that they have sleep apnea, discuss their concerns with their doctor’s office. They will be able to refer you to a Board Certified Sleep provider for a consultation. If you need help finding a physician to see for an evaluation, we can give you find someone local. While there are easy ways to have a screening if you are wondering about possibly having sleep apnea, a diagnosis of sleep apnea has to come from a Board Certified Sleep physician.
Untreated sleep apnea can be life threatening. Excessive daytime sleepiness can cause people to fall asleep at inappropriate times, such as while driving. Sleep apnea has also been shown to put individuals at risk for stroke and transient ischemic attacks (TIAs, also known as “mini-strokes”), and is associated with coronary heart disease, heart failure, irregular heartbeat, heart attack, and high blood pressure. Although there is no cure for sleep apnea, recent studies show that successful treatment can reduce the risk of heart and blood pressure problems.
When talking about sleep apnea, many people immediately think of a CPAP. While CPAP can be very effective in treating sleep apnea, it is not the only way to treat sleep apnea. Upon discussion with your physician, you might discuss the option of having an “oral appliance” or a mouth-piece to wear instead of a CPAP To find out about that possibility, click here.
