How Can I Tell If I Have Sleep Apnea?

You may have heard about the dangers of sleep apnea. Sleep apnea can increase your risk of various conditions like heart disease and stroke. It’s important to find out when you have sleep apnea. Your dentist in Alabaster, AL can help.

At Alabama Dental Sleep and Wellness, our dental experts can help you identify when you’re suffering from sleep apnea and can help you decide what needs to be done. We offer sleep apnea treatment that can control your snoring and help facilitate good breathing while you sleep.

What Is Sleep Apnea?

Sleep apnea is a condition that causes people to stop breathing while they sleep. Often, this happens to people because the muscles in their mouth and throat relax so much that the airway is covered. When this happens, the person wakes briefly enough to start breathing again, and the process starts over.

What Are the Symptoms of Sleep Apnea?

If you suffer from sleep apnea, you may experience:

• Extreme daytime tiredness, even when you slept 8 hours the night before.
• Loud, disruptive snoring.
• Waking periodically at night gasping for breath.
• Depression or mood swings.
• Difficulty focusing.
• Mouth is dry upon waking.

In addition, your spouse or bed partner may have reported that you stop breathing at night. People who have sleep apnea often don’t know they snore loudly or stop breathing unless someone tells them.

If you think you may have sleep apnea, the first step is to get a diagnosis from a professional.

What Should I Do If I Have Sleep Apnea?

If you have sleep apnea, it’s important to get sleep apnea treatment in Alabaster, AL. Sleep apnea is a dangerous condition. People who suffer from sleep apnea rarely sleep well enough. This can make them unfocused and accident-prone. In addition, people who suffer from sleep apnea are at greater risk for conditions like heart disease.

For many patients, a mouth guard is sufficient to hold open the airway and stop the snoring. This can improve quality of life, improve quality of sleep, and can stop disruptive snoring. To learn more, call Alabama Dental Sleep and Wellness today.