Sleep is a crucial part of our existence, and without it, it severely affects our quality of life. For sufferers of sleep apnea, breathing stops multiple times throughout the night, robbing them of their ability to sleep.
This lapse in breathing is most often caused by a blockage in the airway, typically from the patient’s tongue or jaw position. While sleep apnea may sound like more of an annoyance than a life-threatening condition, it can lead to depression, fatigue, stroke, and even heart disease if left untreated.
The primary and most common symptom of sleep apnea is loud snoring. This is a large part of why sleep apnea so often goes untreated, because it requires someone else in the room to notice and complain about it. While snoring can be very common, the snoring associated with sleep apnea has an aggressive quality to it, because the sufferer is struggling to breathe.
The lack of sleep caused by sleep apnea affects nearly every aspect of our lives, from our relationships and performance to our ability to stay awake and regulate emotions. The true effects of sleep apnea are seen in your daily struggles to stay alert, the arguments you may have due to loud snoring, and the eventual damage it can cause to your health and quality of life.
There are three types of sleep apnea you should be aware of:
Take a look at the common causes and risk factors of sleep apnea:
While the CPAP mask has been the primary form of sleep apnea therapy for many years, oral appliances have also risen in popularity due to their comfort and ease of use. At West Lakes Dentistry, we can help you to create a custom mouth guard that is fitted specifically to your mouth and used to help keep airways open while you sleep.
For many sleep apnea patients, improvements in diet and fitness have also been crucial aspects of recovering from the disorder.
