When you have poor rest, and feel tired during the day, this could mean sleep apnea. Addressing the disorder can improve your quality of life and also prevent your immune system and heart health from being stressed. In today’s blog, your Astoria, NY, dentist explains how we address sleep apnea with a custom oral appliance, helping you enjoy a better night’s rest!
The Causes and Warning Signs of Sleep Apnea
When people suffer from sleep apnea, as they rest at night soft tissues in the back of the mouth and in the throat may become too relaxed and then collapse. The collapse cuts off airflow and causes you to stop breathing briefly until the brain registers this and wakes you. While this takes seconds, it can happen multiple times a night, even if you do not remember it. The episodes then interrupt your REM sleep and leave you feeling exhausted. warning signs could include snoring, waking suddenly gasping for air or choking, headaches and dry mouth, daytime drowsiness, irritability, and issues with memory or concentration. When these symptoms arise, don’t ignore them, contact our team for treatment!
Creating an Oral Appliance
Once we assess your sleep disorder, we will choose the most appropriate treatment option. For many, this could be an oral appliance that is worn at night while you sleep. We will custom-fit the device to your smile based on detailed digital images and measurements we take of your bite. The device fits like a mouthguard and is worn as you sleep, shifting the jaw and tongue forward to keep airways open and free of obstruction. You then sleep without interruption and feel more rested and alert! The device is also easy to clean and store, and can travel with you as needed.
Improving Your Quality of Life
Better sleep helps you feel more alert and active the next day, improves your work and school performance, and allows you to avoid unnecessary stress on your heart health and immune system. In addition to an oral appliance, our team may recommend going to bed and waking up at the same time every day, avoiding alcohol or caffeine right before bed, and keeping your bedroom dark and cool. Try to sleep on your side instead of your back, and avoid screens in the hour before bed. These actions can help improve how well you rest!
If you have any questions about how we diagnose and treat issues like sleep apnea, then contact our team today to learn more. We want to help you sleep without complications!
SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT FOR A SLEEP APPLIANCE
Don’t live with poor sleep due to untreated sleep apnea, we can help! You can schedule an appointment by calling our office in Astoria, NY at 718-728-8320.
