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Sometimes snoring is innocuous – and sometimes it’s more dangerous
There are so many reasons we don’t sleep well. Stress, a bad day, something big on the horizon, a noisy street, or just an uncomfortable mattress. But sometimes your poor sleep stems from something larger than mental or environmental factors. If you’re snoring loudly, waking during the night, and feeling excessively tired during the day, you may be suffering from sleep apnea.
How do you distinguish between sleep apnea and a stressful period in your life? Be vigilant and consider whether the symptoms below are showing up regularly. If you have obstructive sleep apnea, seeing a professional will help you return your breathing to normal before larger consequences take hold.
Obstructive Sleep Apnea Symptoms
There are two different types of sleep apnea, but the obstructive form (OSA) is by far the most common. It occurs when you experience a recurring blockage of your airway throughout the night. You may have OSA if you regularly:
- Wake up with a sore or dry throat (but don’t have a cold or cough)
- Snore loudly, to the point of waking yourself or other family members
- Wake up choking or gasping during the night
- Feel extremely sleepy during the day, after what should have been enough sleep
- Struggle to feel awake while driving
- Experience morning headaches
- Are restless during sleep
- Find yourself forgetting recent events
- Feel irritable and experience fluctuations in mood
- Struggle to stay asleep through the night
Because OSA is caused by tissue blocking your throat, you won’t need a sleep apnea machine. Instead, an oral appliance helps hold your tongue and lower jaw in the appropriate positions, so that your airway remains open throughout the night. Just get in touch to learn more!
