Sleep Apnea

What is Sleep Apnea?

Sleep apnea is a condition that interferes with the body’s ability to receive the oxygen it needs during sleep. During bouts of sleep apnea, breathing is interrupted several times a night, and the duration of that interruption can last anywhere from a few seconds to a full minute. With limited oxygen during sleep, individuals with this disorder often feel sluggish, even if they feel that they’ve had a decent night’s rest.

How Does Sleep Apnea Impact a Person’s Health?

Sleep apnea, in addition to making a person excessively tired during the day, can also contribute to an array of health issues. Some of these issues include strokes, headaches, diabetes, high blood pressure, mood instability, depression, ADHD, and serious heart conditions.

How Does Sleep Apnea Affect a Person’s Life?

Beyond the health issues mentioned above, sleep apnea can deplete a person’s energy and make it very difficult to stay awake in the evening, participate in physical activities, drive a car, or enjoy time spent with family and friends. Being tired all the time can also impact an individual’s work performance, and add a level of danger to even the most mundane tasks.

• Insomnia: Insomnia is a disorder that affects an individual’s ability to fall asleep or stay asleep, and it can be temporary or long-lasting. This disorder is treatable with medication.
• Narcolepsy: Narcolepsy is a serious sleep disorder that causes those suffering from it to suddenly fall asleep during waking hours, no matter what the individual is doing. It can be a dangerous, life-altering disorder to live with.
• Restless Leg Syndrome: Restless Leg Syndrome can cause an individual’s legs to move throughout the night due to the discomfort brought on by constant tingling and burning sensations. It often affects pregnant women but it can happen to anyone. Moderate exercise during the day can help relieve symptoms.
• Jet Lag: This disorder often affects people who regularly travel from one time zone to another. Sometimes the time change disrupts a person’s sleep-wake cycle and it can lead individuals with this disorder to feel tired or even ill for weeks following a trip. Fortunately, this condition tends to right itself after an individual returns home.
• Snoring: Snoring can be closely related to sleep apnea, but there are other causes for it as well. Depending on the underlying factors, snoring can present a significant challenge when it comes to getting decent sleep, both for the snorer and their household.

• Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA): OSA is caused by physical factors that directly relate to the shape and size of oral structures. In many cases, OSA can result when the muscles of the jaw are too weak to hold the bone in place during sleep. This causes the jaw to slide backward, bringing the tongue with it. Both can block the airway. Additionally, thick soft palate tissue and a crowded mouth can contribute to the severity of OSA.
• Central Sleep Apnea: With Central Sleep Apnea, the brain fails to send proper signals to the muscles that handle breathing. This causes the body to “forget” to breathe until the brain manages to reach the necessary muscles with its signal.

How is sleep apnea treated?

Scottsdale Family Smiles initially provides non-invasive treatment options to assist our patients in reclaiming their sleep quality. A simple, removable oral device is often effective in treating OSA, but in some cases, a CPAP machine or oral surgery may be necessary.

How do oral appliances work?

Wearing a customized oral appliance is a relatively easy treatment method. Simply place the device into the mouth before going to sleep and helps to hold the tongue and lower jaw in place while the patient sleeps. Each morning, the device can be removed and stored in its case, then worn again right before bed.

Interested in learning more about how we can help with sleep apnea? Call us today at (480) 607-6937.