What Is the Difference Between Central Sleep Apnea and Obstructive Sleep Apnea?

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Are you worried that you might have sleep apnea? This condition can cause complications if it’s not managed. But treatment depends on which type is present. Our dentist in Alabaster, AL, at Alabama Dental Sleep and Wellness offers care for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Let’s explore the differences between OSA and the other major type — central sleep apnea (CSA).

Symptoms

OSA and CSA often cause similar symptoms, such as:

  • Snoring loudly and/or frequently
  • Sleepiness while awake
  • Breathing pauses during sleep
  • Headaches when waking up
  • Irritability
  • Cognitive difficulties

Causes

This is where OSA and CSA differ. OSA happens when something blocks air from getting through your airway as you sleep, such as relaxed muscles in your throat. CSA happens when something disrupts signals from your brain to your muscles that control breathing during sleep.

Risk Factors

Having certain factors may raise your risk of needing help for obstructive sleep apnea in Alabaster, AL. A few of these include a family history of this condition, being overweight, or having a narrower airway. CSA risk factors include being older, having a heart disorder, and being male.

Complications

OSA can cause more serious issues, like higher risks of diabetes and other health problems. CSA complications include a higher risk of cardiovascular issues and ongoing fatigue.

Treatments

OSA treatment approaches may include continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machines, oral appliances, or surgical procedures to prevent airway blockage. CSA treatment approaches may include managing underlying health conditions or using supplemental oxygen.

Set Up a Visit for Sleep Apnea Treatment Today!

Do you need care for OSA? At Alabama Dental Sleep and Wellness, our dentist provides treatment for obstructive sleep apnea in Alabaster, AL, such as oral appliance therapy to help keep your airway open and prevent breathing pauses.

Why Sleep Apnea Often Gets Worse With Age

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Sleep apnea doesn’t always stay the same over time. For many people, the condition gradually becomes harder to manage as they get older. What feels like mild snoring or an occasional pause in breathing at 40 can turn into more frequent interruptions by 60. Several changes that come with age explain why sleep apnea in Alabaster, AL often grows worse.

Throat Muscles Weaken

The muscles that support the airway naturally lose tone over the years. When those tissues relax more than they should, the airway narrows. That means a greater chance of snoring or blocked breathing during sleep. Even people who never noticed a problem earlier in life may find symptoms surfacing later on.

Weight and Body Changes

Metabolism slows with age, and carrying extra weight around the neck adds pressure on the airway. Even a small increase can make a difference. Fat deposits near the throat make it easier for the airway to close when lying down, which is why weight changes often go hand in hand with worsening sleep apnea.

Other Health Conditions

Getting older also brings a higher chance of developing conditions like high blood pressure or heart disease. These don’t directly cause apnea, but they do increase the risks when breathing is repeatedly interrupted at night. Medications can complicate matters as well, since some relax the airway muscles even more.

Why Careful Treatment Matters

Sleep apnea that worsens with age isn’t something to brush off. Left untreated, it can affect energy, heart health, and overall well-being. Fortunately, options like oral appliances and lifestyle adjustments can still make a big difference. The sooner it’s addressed by a sleep apnea dentist in Alabaster, AL, the better the chances of enjoying restful nights at any age.

Better Sleep, Better Health: Life After Treating Sleep Apnea

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Living with untreated sleep apnea takes a toll that often sneaks up over time. People get used to restless nights, heavy mornings, and days filled with fatigue. The change after treatment is hard to miss. Better sleep improves health, mood, and even relationships.

Rest That Feels Restorative

One of the first things patients notice after sleep apnea treatment in Alabaster, AL is longer stretches of uninterrupted sleep. Instead of waking up again and again, the body cycles naturally through deeper rest. Mornings feel different—less fog, more energy, and a sense that the night actually did its job. Many describe it as finally remembering what “rested” feels like.

Health Gains Beyond Sleep

The benefits ripple through the body. Consistent oxygen levels reduce strain on the heart and stabilize blood pressure. Daytime sleepiness eases, lowering the risk of accidents on the road or at work. Clearer focus returns, and tasks that once felt draining become easier. Even moods tend to even out, with fewer dips into irritability or stress.

A Better Night for Everyone

Sleep apnea isn’t just hard on the person who has it. Partners often lose sleep because of loud snoring. Once treatment begins, both people rest easier. Couples frequently say that their relationship feels less strained when the nights are quiet again.

Energy for Daily Life

The most noticeable shift may be the renewed energy during the day. Patients often find themselves motivated to exercise, eat better, or take up activities they’d dropped. What starts as a solution for a nighttime problem becomes a foundation for healthier living all around.

Life after treating sleep apnea isn’t just about sleeping more soundly—it’s about waking up to a healthier, more balanced way of life. Contact your sleep apnea dentist in Alabaster, AL today to see how treatment can improve your life!

This Nighttime Routine Will Help You Sleep Better

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It’s easy to underestimate how much your nightly habits affect the quality of your sleep. A few intentional steps before bed can set the stage for a more restful night—and even support better breathing if you struggle with issues like sleep apnea. Here’s a simple routine to help you wind down and prepare your body and mind for sleep.

Power Down Screens Early

The light from phones, tablets, and TVs can confuse your internal clock by suppressing melatonin, the hormone that signals it’s time to rest. Try to turn off screens at least 30 to 60 minutes before bed. Instead, read a book, listen to calming music, or spend a few quiet minutes journaling. These screen-free activities help ease your mind into a more relaxed state.

Pay Attention to Breathing

If you’ve been diagnosed with sleep apnea in Alabaster, AL—or suspect you might have it—following a calm nighttime routine becomes even more important. Stress and irregular sleep patterns can make symptoms worse. Keeping your airway healthy and your sleep environment optimal supports smoother breathing throughout the night.

Keep a Consistent Bedtime

Going to bed and waking up at the same time every day—even on weekends—helps train your body to follow a predictable sleep cycle. This steady rhythm makes it easier to fall asleep and wake up naturally. People with sleep apnea may notice more stable breathing patterns when their bodies follow a regular schedule.

Create a Relaxing Environment

A cool, dark, and quiet bedroom signals to your body that it’s time to rest. Consider blackout curtains or a white noise machine if you’re sensitive to outside disruptions. Keep clutter to a minimum; a tidy space often feels more peaceful. Fresh, clean bedding can also make your bed a place you look forward to settling into.

Avoid Heavy Meals and Late Caffeine

Large dinners or late-night snacks can leave your digestive system working overtime when you’re trying to wind down. Likewise, caffeine lingers in your system for hours. Try to finish your last cup of coffee or tea by early afternoon to avoid it interfering with your rest.

Sticking to a simple routine like this can pay off in better, deeper sleep. If you still find yourself restless or often waking up tired, it may be time to explore whether sleep apnea or another issue is at play. Reach out to your sleep apnea dentist in Alabaster, AL to learn how we can help you breathe easier and sleep more soundly.

Should I See a Professional About My Snoring?

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Snoring can be an annoying problem, especially if you snore loud enough to keep awake your sleep partner. If you snore, it’s important to know whether this is a problem that needs to be addressed.

The professionals at Alabama Dental Sleep and Wellness can help. As your sleep apnea dentist in Alabaster, AL, we can help you determine whether your snoring needs to be treated.

What Causes Snoring?

Many things can cause snoring, including:

  • An obstruction in the nose
  • Enlarged tonsils
  • Swollen adenoids
  • Pregnancy
  • Swelling in the mouth
  • Alcohol use before bed
  • Genetics
  • Sleeping on your back

Some people snore when the muscles in the back of their throat relax so much that they cover the airway. When this happens, the affected person stops breathing. This is known as sleep apnea. To resume breathing, the person must wake up. Usually, they wake up so fast that they don’t know they woke up at all.

How Can I Tell If My Snoring Is a Problem?

Sleep apnea is a problem because it can put you at risk of many other conditions like high blood pressure and stroke. People who have sleep apnea usually snore so loudly that they disturb their sleep partners and can be heard throughout their homes. If this describes your snoring, this is a sign that you could benefit from sleep apnea treatment.

What Can I Do About Snoring?

If you snore loudly, get help from a professional, since you may have sleep apnea. Dentists can provide devices that help prevent the muscles in the back of the throat from relaxing over the airway, which can help patients sleep better throughout the night.

Some patients use this as an alternative to the CPAP machine. Dentists can also provide lifestyle advice to help you manage your sleep apnea.

What Are the Benefits of Treating Snoring?

Getting sleep apnea treatment in Alabaster, AL, can help protect you from some of the risks associated with sleep apnea. If your loud snoring has affected your relationship with your spouse, getting treatment is important! Call today to make an appointment.

What You Need to Know about Sleep Disorders

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If you’ve been having problems sleeping, your mind is probably racing, trying to find the reason why so you can put an end to it, right? There are many reasons you might be having a hard time sleeping. And believe it or not, your dentist might just be the one who can help stop it.

Let’s go over sleep disorders for a moment. Then, we’ll talk about how your dentist in Alabaster, AL, might be able to help.

What Causes Sleep Disorders?

Sleep disorders can be caused by any number of issues. They can be caused by medical conditions (asthma, heart disease), mental conditions (depression, anxiety), genetic factors, medication side effects, and even oral disorders like TMJ, sleep apnea, and unbalanced bites.

The Symptoms of Sleep Disorders

There are several symptoms that indicate you might have a sleep disorder.

Nighttime Symptoms:

  • It takes you longer than 30 minutes to fall asleep.
  • You have trouble staying asleep.
  • Snoring, choking, or gasping while sleeping.
  • Your body feels like it needs to move while you’re relaxing.
  • You feel like you cannot move once you wake up.

Daytime Symptoms:

  • You feel sleepy during the day and sometimes fall asleep while doing routine things.
  • You have a hard time focusing.
  • You experience frequent falls or other accidents.
  • You are moody and irritable.
  • Your performance of daily tasks begins to suffer, and you have a hard time meeting deadlines.

How Much Sleep Do You Really Need?

Ideally, how much sleep you need depends on your age group. Adults between the ages of 26 and 64 should get about 7-9 hours of sleep per night. Senior adults over the age of 65 can get away with 7-8 hours of sleep per night.

If you don’t get enough sleep, you could end up with obesity, diabetes, heart disease, depression, and/or dementia.

How a Dentist Can Help with Your Sleep Disorder

A dentist can help with many sleep disorders in Alabaster, AL, such as sleep apnea, snoring, TMJ, etc. Dental sleep issues can be treated with oral appliances and other options that your dentist will discuss with you based on your situation.

Are You Looking for a Sleep Dentist in Alabaster, AL?

If you want to get a proper diagnosis for your sleep disorder, please Contact Alabama Dental Sleep and Wellness today to schedule a consultation and exam. We understand the importance of a good night’s sleep and will do everything in our power to help get your sleep cycles back to normal so you can go on living again!

Can't use your CPAP

Why is Sleep Sometimes Disrupted?

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Disruptions in sleep are very frustrating, especially when they impact your waking life. They can lead to the loss of a job, health issues, dangerous accidents and more. It’s notable thatsleep problems in Alabaster, AL are highly treatable. It may take a combination of medical intervention and lifestyle changes, but help is available. Following are some of the most common reasons why sleep is sometimes disrupted.

Environmental Factors

You need a calm and restful environment to get a sound sleep. There are steps you can take to avoid sleep disruption. Install room darkening shades to avoid light infiltration while you’re trying to sleep. Switch to an analog alarm clock rather than a digital clock that may have LED lights. Change bed linens weekly, so you have a pleasant, clean place to lie down. Wear earplugs if street noise is excessive. Consider an eye mask if the room is still too bright to sleep.

Medical Conditions

You may have underlying medical conditions that are disrupting your sleep. These can include sleep apnea, restless legs syndrome, neurological disorders, obesity, asthma or allergies, all of which can disrupt sound sleep. A consultation with a professional at asleep center in Alabaster, AL may help.

Snoring

Often a precursor to or symptom of obstructive sleep apnea, snoring can itself be a sleep disruptor both for the snorer and their bed partner. It occurs when air flows past relaxed tissues in your throat, causing the tissues to vibrate as you breathe. Snoring can vary from a soft noise to loud and bothersome sounds that can wake both the snorer and others. There are certain devices that can be worn, in addition to some minor lifestyle changes, that can reduce or eliminate this sleep disruptor.

Bruxism

Often occurring alongside other sleep disorders like sleep apnea, bruxism involves grinding or clenching of teeth during sleep. This not only disrupts sleep but can also cause dental health issues and jaw pain.

If you have difficulty getting to sleep or staying asleep, this can cause major problems in your life. Contact us today for a consultation so we can determine the underlying problem of your sleep disruption. The sooner you get in touch, the sooner you can look forward to restful sleep once again!

Why Do I Snore So Loud?

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Soft snoring is a normal thing that people do sometimes while sleeping, but really frequent, loud snoring can be a sign of a problem. If you snore really loudly, you may need help from a sleep doctor in Alabaster, AL.

At Alabama Dental Sleep and Wellness, we help patients manage their snoring so they (and other members of their families) can get a good night’s rest. If you snore loudly at night, here’s what you need to know.

What Causes Loud Snoring?

Loud snoring is typically caused by a condition called sleep apnea. If you have sleep apnea, you repeatedly stop breathing while you sleep, then wake up very briefly to start breathing again.

Most people with sleep apnea experience this problem because the muscles in their throat relax so much that parts of their airway become closed off. Some people with sleep apnea experience this problem because their brain stops sending signals to breathe while sleeping.

How Can I Stop Snoring?

There isn’t a silver bullet for treating sleep apnea. Different people respond to different types of treatment. For many people, losing weight and cutting down on drinking before bedtime can help. Many people also respond positively to dental oral appliances that help open the airway to promote better breathing. Either way, working with an expert can help.

If you’re snoring in Alabaster, AL, getting help is important. Sleep apnea is a dangerous condition that can put you at higher risk for heart problems and other complications. In addition, sleep apnea can leave you feeling tired all the time, even when you’ve had a full night’s sleep. See the sleep doctor in Alabaster, AL, for help.