I Wake Up Tired
Do you feel lethargic after a full night of sleep? Perhaps you never feel fully rested even though you appear to be getting eight hours of sleep each night.
If you’re struggling with low energy and fatigue on a regular basis, you might have a condition known as obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).
Obstructive sleep apnea is a common condition that robs a person from achieving truly rejuvenating rest. This condition causes patients to wake many times throughout a given night – ultimately causing sleep deprivation.
Symptoms and Effects of Untreated Sleep Apnea
Within a sleep session, a person with OSA can wake up hundreds of times. This interruption of sleep is caused by obstructions in the airway. As a person ceases breathing, brain activity will spike and cause slight wakefulness. While the wakefulness is often brief, it is enough to pull a person out of deep sleep. Unable to progress through each stage of sleep, a person with untreated OSA will develop sleep deprivation and suffer with low energy.
Other common symptoms of untreated sleep apnea include:
Impaired thinking
Poor motor function
Depression
Anxiety
Irritability
Memory loss
Chronic fatigue and malaise
Dry mouth – particularly when waking
Headaches
In addition to affecting your quality of life, untreated OSA could put your wellbeing at risk. Researchers have found links between stroke, heart disease, respiratory conditions, and diabetes. For example, untreated sleep apnea is linked to insulin resistance, which is a key contributor to the development of type II diabetes.
Sleep Apnea Treatment Options
There are a few ways that patients can manage their sleep apnea. Some people will see improvement in their conditions if they make lifestyle changes such as losing weight and avoiding alcohol before bedtime. When lifestyle changes aren’t enough, patients with OSA will need to consult with professionals. Common treatment methods include using CPAP machines to maintain a clear airway when sleeping, surgery to correct abnormalities in jaw alignment or soft oral tissue, and oral appliance therapy.
Our practice treats sleep apnea with oral appliances. This is a non-surgical treatment option that does not require bulky and uncomfortable machinery like CPAP machines. Oral appliance therapy works by expanding the airway to prevent apneic episodes. This treatment option allows patients to sleep in a variety of positions without discomfort. It’s also easy to care for and portable.
