Your Guide to Recognizing Nightly Sleep Apnea Symptoms

Do you always feel tired, and you can’t seem to figure out why? It is possible that you are suffering from sleep apnea. This disorder affects an estimated 22 million people in the U.S. Left untreated, it can endanger your overall health and adversely affect your quality of life. Let’s talk about what exactly sleep apnea is and how you can recognize sleep apnea symptoms in Boca Raton.

What Is Sleep Apnea?

Sleep apnea is a disorder characterized by repeated pauses in breathing throughout the night. There are a few different types of sleep apnea, but the most common is obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), wherein the apneas (pauses in breathing) happen when tissues in the throat block the upper airway. An apnea sends the body into panic mode, disrupting the sleep cycle and preventing an individual from getting a full night of high-quality rest.

Sleep Apnea Symptoms

Some of the most common sleep apnea signs and symptoms include:

• Loud snoring
• Waking up gasping for air
• Observed pauses in breathing
• Excessive daytime sleepiness
• Morning headaches and sore throats
• Difficulty falling asleep and staying asleep
• Mood swings and irritability

For most sleep apnea sufferers, symptoms occur daily/nightly. However, they may become worse if you drink alcohol or caffeine too close to bedtime, you sleep on your back, or your nasal passages are congested. Conversely, symptoms might become less severe or occur less often if you lose weight or make other lifestyle changes that lower the risk of airway collapse.

Keeping a sleep diary, as well as talking to your significant other about what they notice regarding your sleep, can give you a fair idea of whether you have OSA. However, the only way to get an official diagnosis is through a professional sleep test.

Treating Sleep Apnea

After you receive a sleep apnea diagnosis, there are a few different forms of sleep apnea treatment in Boca Raton that may be able to help you. These include:

• CPAP therapy. A CPAP is a machine that uses pressurized air to prevent the airway from collapsing. It is extremely effective for OSA. However, many patients find it difficult to tolerate because it is noisy and involves wearing a mask all night long.
• Oral appliance therapy. An oral appliance shifts the jaw slightly forward in order to keep the airway open. Most patients find it to be more comfortable and convenient than a CPAP machine.
• Surgery. Some anatomical abnormalities that contribute to sleep apnea, such as a deviated septum, can be corrected surgically. However, surgery is usually viewed as a last resort due to its invasive nature.

Sleep apnea is a serious disorder, but thankfully, it is usually easy to diagnose and simple to treat. If you believe you are suffering from it, a local sleep expert would be happy to help you find relief.

Meet the Sleep Expert

Dr. Kenneth Mogell is an experienced general dentist who has spent more than 10 years helping patients find relief from sleep apnea via oral appliance therapy. If you are ready to learn more about sleep disorders and treatment options, he would be happy to speak with you. Contact our Boca Raton office at 561-353-5252.