The Signs and Symptoms of Sleep Apnea

Sleep apnea is one of those things you should never ignore. It is a severe sleep disorder that leads to a person's breathing repeatedly stopping and starting while sleeping. If you often feel tired after waking up or have been told you snore loudly when you sleep, there is a good chance you already have sleep apnea.

The most common types of sleep apnea include:

• Obstructive sleep apnea: It is caused by the muscles in the throat relaxing and blocking the airways during sleep
• Central sleep apnea: This is the result of the brain not sending the proper signals to the muscles that control breathing during sleep
• Complex sleep apnea: This condition occurs when a person has both central sleep apnea and obstructive sleep apnea

Symptoms of sleep apnea

The symptoms of central and obstructive sleep apnea often overlap, making it difficult to diagnose the type of sleep apnea a patient has, at times. The most common symptoms and signs include:

• Snoring
• Periods when breathing stops during sleep
• Gasping for air
• Morning headaches
• Dry mouth
• Irritability
• Feeling sleepy during the day
• Difficulty staying asleep
• Concentration issues

Those who experience any of these symptoms should stop by our Forest Hills office for a diagnosis.

Causes of sleep apnea

Let us take a look at what leads to the two main types of sleep apnea:

1. Obstructive sleep apnea

As was mentioned earlier, this condition stems from muscles in the back of the throat blocking airways. This prevents the person from getting enough air. The brain realizes what is going on, so it wakes the person up, to restore breathing. The period of awakening is so short; most people have no recollection of it. The restriction of the airways can also lead to choking, gasping or snorting during sleep. These things make it challenging to get good, restful sleep.

2. Central sleep apnea

This time, the breathing problems are caused by the brain failing to send the right signals to the muscles that control breathing. It leads to the same things, preventing deep, productive sleep. The most likely people to have sleep apnea include:

• Those who are overweight
• People with thicker necks
• Males are two to three times more likely to develop sleep apnea
• Smokers
• People who use alcohol or sedatives
• Those with heart disorders
• People recovering from a stoke

Treating sleep apnea

Doctors may refer patients with this disorder to a sleep diagnosis center. There the doctor will determine how to evaluate the patient. Home sleep tests or nocturnal polysomnography can be used to monitor the patient's sleep patterns. Treatment options for those diagnosed with sleep apnea include:

• Lifestyle changes like losing weight or lowering alcohol use
• Wearing a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) mask, which opens up the patient's airways with pressurized air
• Oral appliances like mouthguards can be used to open up the patient's airways while they sleep
• Surgery is also the last resort option

Get the treatment you need

Sleep apnea can leave you feeling drained during the day and lower your quality of life. Stop by for diagnosis and treatment today.

Let's get started…

Request an appointment here: https://metrosmiles.com or call Metro Smiles Dental at (718) 841-9591 for an appointment in our Forest Hills office.

Check out what others are saying about our services on Yelp: Read our Yelp reviews.