Protect Your Sleep Quality
Do you ever wake up in the morning feeling like you didn’t get a good night’s rest? Poor quality sleep is detrimental to your health and wellbeing. In order for your brain and body to function efficiently throughout the day, a healthy seven to nine hours of sleep is essential.
Sleep apnea can affect your sleep quality and interfere with your active lifestyle. It’s recommended to undergo a sleep study to know the diagnosis and receive treatment. At DentaCare Dental, Dr. Hobbs has years of expertise and proudly offers services to patients in Gregg and Harrison Counties, TX. Read our friendly guide to learn more about how sleep apnea can affect your health and the treatment solutions Dr. Hobbs offers.
Identifying Your Symptoms
Heavy snoring is a common symptom that patients who suffer from sleep apnea notice first. Since there are many different indications that you might be suffering from sleep apnea, catching the early signs can protect you from serious health complications later down the road.
The most noticeable warning signs of sleep apnea include:
- Insomnia
- Lower libido
- Impaired memory
- Chronic headaches
- Anxiety and depression
- Wake up with shortness of breath
- Irritability and mood swings
- Feeling tired and restless all-day
Two Types of Sleep Apnea: OSA and CSA
Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA)
Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is the most common form of sleep apnea. OSA occurs when the patient’s throat muscles relax during sleep, causing the tongue to fall back into the airway. This creates an obstruction that completely blocks the airway, preventing the patient from breathing altogether.
Throughout the night, your brain perceives that you’re not getting enough oxygen and it jolts you back awake so you can start breathing again. Sleep apnea sufferers commonly wake up several times throughout the night without even remembering it. Sleep apnea robs you of your stamina by preventing you from getting into a deep, relaxing sleep.
Central Sleep Apnea (CSA)
The other, less common form of sleep disorder is called central sleep apnea (CSA). With CSA, your breathing isn’t interrupted due to an obstruction in the airway. Instead, CSA episodes occur when your brain doesn’t properly signal the muscles that control your breathing.
With CSA, your brain’s effort to restart your breathing pattern fails, and your breathing is completely stopped for a short period of time. You’ll then quickly wake up, gasping for air, almost as you would after holding your breath underwater.
Dr. Hobbs in Longview will make sure you get the right diagnosis and treatment for your sleep apnea
Risk Factors for Untreated Sleep Apnea
Sleep apnea affects all types of patients, men, and women, young and old. But there are a number of risk factors that make some people more susceptible to the disease.
For example, older patients and males are at higher risk for sleep apnea than kids, young adults, or women. Other factors that heighten your chances of having OSA include:
- Family history
- Allergies
- A large neck circumference
- A narrow airway
- Smoking and alcohol use
Health Consequences of Untreated Sleep Apnea
If sleep apnea is left untreated, it can further affect your health in the future. Sleep apnea has been linked to a number of major health issues, such as:
- Type 2 diabetes
- Heart attacks
- Strokes
- Abnormal heartbeats
- High blood pressure
- Liver issues
- Car accidents
Sleep Apnea & Your Wellbeing
If you or a loved one have noticed any of the above symptoms, the next course of action is to seek care from a qualified professional like Dr. Hobbs. He’ll make sure you receive the right diagnosis by undergoing a sleep study with a certified sleep physician.
After receiving your diagnosis, Dr. Hobbs will help you find the treatment option that’s right for you. Although CPAP is an effective treatment for sleep apnea, many of our patients stop using it because they find it to be loud and difficult to use.
That’s why Dr. Hobbs features custom oral appliances as an alternative treatment option. Many of our patients find relief from sleep apnea using an oral appliance, a small device that keeps the airway open by gently shifting your jaw forward.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are sleep apnea and snoring the same thing?
Most people who have sleep apnea snore, but not all people who snore have sleep apnea. Loud and frequent snoring is one of the most common symptoms of sleep apnea. If you snore, our Longview team highly recommends undergoing a sleep study to determine if you have sleep apnea.
Once you’re diagnosed with sleep apnea, we can begin a treatment that works for you immediately. Whether you have sleep apnea or you simply snore, we’ll assist you with treatment so you can start enjoying restful nights.
How can I reduce my risk for sleep apnea?
When combined with professional treatment, making certain lifestyle changes may be beneficial in reducing sleep apnea symptoms. Some effective natural remedies that Dr. Hobbs recommends include:
- Maintain a healthy body weight
- Exercise regularly (yoga specifically promotes oxygen flow)
- Change your sleep position, also referred to as positional therapy
- Use a humidifier to open your airways
- Avoid smoking and alcohol consumption, especially before bedtime
Protect Your Health With Sleep Apnea Treatment
Sleep apnea can affect your overall health if left untreated. By undergoing a sleep study to receive the right diagnosis, Dr. Hobbs can find the right treatment for you to alleviate the sleep apnea symptoms. He treats patients in the Longview community as well as the surrounding areas including Marshall, Gladewater, Lakeport, and Kilgore, TX.
Call our Longview office at (903) 686-9076 to schedule your consultation with our sleep dentist Dr. Hobbs. You can also fill out the online contact form below and one of our staff will get back to you promptly. We can’t wait to help you and your partner get the best sleep quality!