Common Symptoms & Health Risks
Obstructive Sleep Apnea Symptoms
Getting a quality night of sleep is essential for living a productive, satisfying life. However, millions of people who get eight hours of sleep still feel lethargic in the morning.
If you wake up feeling tired each morning, you may have untreated sleep apnea.
Healthy Sleep Midwest treats thousands of Liberty, MO, patients each year, helping them treat their sleep apnea in revolutionary ways. Our dental professionals have decades of experience conducting sleep tests and developing treatment plans for sleep apnea.
Upon finishing your treatment, you will sleep soundly and wake up feeling rejuvenated each morning.
Signs of Sleep Apnea
One of the concerning things about sleep apnea is that it is hard to diagnose it without professional assistance. Many people believe that waking up tired is normal. While it is true that it takes most people a few minutes to wake up, if you face prolonged tiredness, sleep apnea may be at fault.
Snoring
Snoring is one of the most common symptoms and health risks of sleep apnea. Due to the disruptive breathing patterns caused by sleep apnea, your snoring will increase in frequency and loudness.
Many people find out they have sleep apnea thanks to their spouse or housemates who can hear their snoring during the night. If someone informs you of your excessive snoring, visit one of our sleep experts for a diagnosis.
Daytime Fatigue
Pay attention to your energy level when you wake up each morning. It is the easiest way to detect if you have sleep apnea. Unfortunately, most people will not record themselves during sleep to determine if they snore or show other symptoms.
Daytime drowsiness can be detrimental to your personal and professional life. It can impact your drive and ambition, decreasing your productivity.
Breathing Interruptions
When the soft tissue in your throat blocks your airways, it disrupts your breathing patterns. People who suffer from sleep apnea will have 20–30 second increments of not breathing while asleep. This disruption can lead to a heart attack or heart failure in some cases.
Our mouthguards can help prevent sleep apnea and allow you to get uninterrupted sleep.
Sleep Apnea Risk Factors
Many factors play a part in determining if you are susceptible to sleep apnea.
Obesity
Studies show that more than half the people with sleep apnea are overweight. When you are overweight, the soft tissue in your throat clogs your airways, disrupting your breathing while you sleep.
Your neck’s circumference should not exceed 17” and should be under 15”. For a female, If your neck is more sizable than those measurements, consider a sleep test at our facility.
We recommend that our obese sleep patients lose weight. Doing so will help repair the soft tissue in your throat, eliminating any obstructions. Plus, slimming down will promote a higher quality of life.
Allergies
Another factor contributing to sleep apnea is allergies. If you have allergies, you may experience nasal congestion, making it hard to breathe through your nose. This difficulty causes issues during sleep.
Sleep apnea breathing difficulty is more prevalent when combined with seasonal allergies.
Smoking
Medical reports state that smokers have a three times higher risk of developing a form of sleep apnea than non-smokers. In addition, smoking inflames your airways, making it hard for air to travel in and out of your body. Therefore, smokers are also susceptible to lung cancer and other critical conditions.
Our experts strongly suggest that smokers quit their habits. Doing so will lower the severity of your sleep disorder.