If you snore loudly at night, wake up gasping for air, or feel tired during the day in spite of a full night’s rest, you may have sleep apnea. Sleep apnea is a serious sleep disorder requiring diagnosis and treatment as soon as possible to reduce potential risks to your health..
Symptoms of sleep apnea include loud snoring, frequent waking throughout the night, insomnia, morning headaches, daytime drowsiness, and a lack of ability to concentrate.
Lifestyle choices may be contributing to or increasing your risk of sleep apnea. The following changes may help to mitigate the symptoms of sleep apnea:
- Sleep on your side – some people with mild sleep apnea experience reduced symptoms when they sleep on their side instead of on their backs.
- Lose weight – if you are overweight, losing weight could be the most important action you could take to cure or drastically reduce your sleep apnea symptoms.
- Avoid alcohol – alcohol use causes the upper airway muscles to relax, which could contribute to frequent waking.
- Quit smoking – apnea and snoring is worsened with cigarette smoking, which causes swelling in the upper airway.
The most common treatment for sleep apnea is the continuous positive airway pressure device (CPAP). The CPAP mask fits over the mouth and/or nose and gently blows air to keep the airway open while you sleep. The CPAP mask can also be rather uncomfortable to use and wear all night long.
We offer a dental appliance that is custom-made for you. The appliance is effective and can completely replace your CPAP machine. It gently aligns the tongue and jaw to ensure an open airway, which allows natural airflow into your lungs while you sleep. The appliance is more comfortable than a CPAP, easier to use and wear, and that adds up to better sleep.
At Design Dental Group, our goal is to make your sleep apnea treatment as comfortable and effective as possible. Contact our office to make an appointment for a sleep consultation today!
To make an appointment, call 949-759-9777 or click here to request an appointment online.