As a truck driver, you play an integral part in keeping America running. By moving freight across the highways, you ensure that the vital goods needed to maintain everyday life are available. However, the hours and days can be long, which can make truck driving a difficult job. Although the government has set limits for how long you can drive each day, there is another possible threat to your wellness, and even other drivers: sleep apnea in Lawton. If you feel tired and sluggish after having a full night of sleep, then it’s important to be tested for the condition. Read on to find out why.
What is Sleep Apnea?
The term sleep apnea refers to frequent lapses in breathing while slumbering, with each episode causing a sleep interruption. Because of these reoccurring breaks in your nightly rest, you can be left feeling depleted and tired throughout the day.
Here are some of the other symptoms that you may notice:
- Mood swings
- Inability to focus
- Morning headaches
- Bouts of depression
- Morning throat soreness
If you’ve experienced any of these issues, then you should immediately be tested.
Why You Shouldn’t Ignore Sleep Apnea Symptoms
When driving, you need to be as alert and responsive as possible, especially since it only takes a split second for an accident to occur. The threat is further exacerbated by the fact that you’re operating such a large vehicle and carrying heavy loads. To protect yourself and the other drivers on the road, it’s of the utmost importance to be tested for sleep apnea. The process isn’t complicated, and it won’t take much time out of your schedule.
How to Get Tested
In the past, the typical way for patients to be tested was to visit a sleep doctor, which would involve being connected to a series of intimidating wires, but there is another available route: at-home sleep testing. A sleep dentist can provide you with a special device that comfortably fits over a single finger. While you sleep, it monitors and records your heart rate, oxygen saturation and other vital signs. The sleep dentist will then review the information and, based on the results, develop a treatment plan.
How Sleep Apnea Can be Treated
The most common method of treating sleep apnea is with a CPAP machine, which is a device that forces air into the throat while you sleep. Some patients find it to be challenging because of its size, the sound it emits and the fact that it covers a portion of their face.
Thankfully, there is another option: an oral sleep appliance. It’s custom designed by a sleep dentist to fit comfortably in your mouth while you sleep, and by slightly shifting the jaw forward, it helps to keep your airway open.
Getting the rest you need and protecting the lives of hundreds of people starts by undergoing sleep apnea testing in Lawton. Now is the time to take action.
About the Author
Dr. David J. Drummond is a graduate of Northwestern University Dental School in Chicago. With nearly 40 years of experience practicing dentistry, he has helped countless patients improve their oral and overall health. Dr. Drummond contributes to safer highway travel by providing sleep apnea treatment for truck drivers at Stop Snoring Lawton, and he can be reached for more information through his website.