When you begin to experience possible warning signs of sleep apnea, you may need a sleep assessment to find out if treatment is necessary. Otherwise, untreated sleep apnea could lead to issues with your overall health, including your immune system and heart health! In today’s blog, your Livonia, MI, dentist talks about our sleep assessments.
The Risk Factors and Warning Signs of Sleep Apnea
Sleep apnea is a disorder in which you stop breathing multiple times a night due to soft tissues collapsing and cutting off airflow. Some people may assume they slept well, but feel exhausted during the day. Warning signs include snoring, daytime drowsiness, irritability, and waking in the night gasping for air or choking. Risk factors include hypertension, obesity, chronic snoring, a family history of similar disorders, large neck circumference, deviated septum, and allergy and sinus issues. While this can impact all ages and genders, it is especially prevalent in men 55 and older. If you experience these symptoms and risk factors, then consider a sleep assessment to see if you need a diagnosis and possible treatment.
Answer These Questions
Our team will ask ten questions to gauge your risks, and if you answer positively to three or more of them, then you may need to move forward with an evaluation and treatment. These include asking about obesity, high blood pressure, complaints about snoring, and if you ever stop breathing during your sleep. Your spouse may be able to answer these questions for you too. We’re also interested in whether you toss and turn in the night, feel sleepy during the day frequently, and fall asleep at work. If you feel depressed, have sudden personality and mood changes, and wake up at night struggling to breathe, these could be warning signs too.
Starting Treatment
If you answer yes to three or more of the questions, then we will conduct an examination to watch for signs of breathing cessation and airway obstruction. We may recommend an at-home sleep test as well. If we find you suffer from sleep apnea. We may be able to offer a CPAP-alternative that is comfortable and easy to use. A custom oral appliance is a device fitted to your smile that looks and fits like a mouthguard. Worn as you sleep, the device keeps airways open and allows you to breathe without complication, so you avoid sleep apnea episodes at night and feel more rested during the day. In addition to improving your mood, this can prevent strain on your immune and cardiovascular systems, which can occur due to untreated sleep apnea.
If you have any questions about our sleep assessment, then contact our team today to learn more.
DO YOU HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT IMPROVING HOW YOU SLEEP?
We would like to help you rest with ease again and enjoy a good night’s rest and better quality of life. If you’re ready to enjoy a better night’s rest, call about a consultation with Dr. Stewart and his staff in Livonia, Michigan at 734-425-4400.
