If you don’t feel well rested after a whole night of sleeping, you could be suffering from a sleeping disorder like sleep apnea. Many patients find it difficult to understand why they don’t feel great unless they have a partner to notice symptoms while they sleep. But in this week’s blog post, we’re going to explore sleep apnea and ways to treat it, like with CPAP alternatives in Lawton.
Understand Sleep Apnea
Sleep apnea occurs when your airway becomes blocked from the lower jaw loosely falling, the tongue sinking back into the mouth, or large tissues that get in the way of breathing. This can cause patients to have pauses in breathing. The body will jolt itself awake briefly to signal it needs more oxygen and this can happen up to hundreds of times throughout the night.
If you have sleep apnea, you could experience symptoms like these:
- Morning headaches
- Mood swings
- Depression
- Decreased sex drive
- Inability to focus
- Slowed cognitive function
- Inability to use critical thinking skills
- Chronic dry mouth
- Snoring or choking sounds throughout the night
Seek Treatment for Sleep Apnea ASAP!
There are many serious risks that come with the pauses in breathing stemming from sleep apnea, like:
- Inability to function on small tasks throughout your day to day life.
- Increased chance of being in a car accident because of sleep deprivation.
- Systematic health risks like high blood pressure or increased chance of having a stroke.
- Severe depression and mood swings that can affect your relationships with friends and family.
Explore Your Treatment Options
If you think that you may have sleep apnea, the best thing that you can do is reach out to a dentist in Lawton for assistance. Your dentist intricately understands the head, neck, mouth, and jaw, making them the best health professionals to turn to when dealing with the airway and mouth.
Many regular doctors may recommend getting a CPAP machine, although many patients find this unbearable to sleep with because of the uncomfortable headgear.
That’s why your local dentist offers CPAP alternatives for those who are CPAP intolerant, like:
- SomnoDent® sleep appliances that will shift the jaw forward, applying pressure on the throat and tongue to clear the airway.
- ProSomnus MicrO2 device that uses a unique design that doesn’t force the tongue in a certain position, rather focusing on the throat muscles and keeping the airway clear.
- The Narval Appliance that is very similar to the ProSomnus MicrO2, utilizing a unique, flexible material to create your custom oral appliance.
The sooner that you reach out to a dentist for assistance, the sooner you’ll be able to feel well rested again!
About Our Office
Here at Stop Snoring Lawton, we believe everyone deserves to get the sleep they need—not just for their sanity, but for their overall well-being. Learn about how we can help you if you think you may have sleep apnea by giving us a call today!