There are a lot of things you have no control over in this world: do not include your sleep in this list. Sleep is essential for our health and well-being even if it is often underappreciated. Nothing should ever stop you from getting that well-deserved snooze. However, there are instances that are beyond your power that has a big impact on your sleep. Sleep disorders, for instance, are the bane of some people’s existence but they do not just go away over time. Gone were the days when people just ignored snoring. While snoring may seemingly look harmless (and I am sure it is a small number of the population), most snorers actually do have sleep apnea. That is the problem. Sleep apnea needs to be addressed right away and not just be dismissed as an annoying habit some people have.
I’m sure snoring is embarrassing, but wait until you find out that you literally stop breathing in your sleep when you have this sleep disorder. It is usually a congenital problem, which is why some consider surgery if necessary. But the thing is these breathing pauses do not only happen once, twice, or thrice throughout the night, it happens multiple times, which is where the danger lies. Aside from depriving your body of essential oxygen, it predisposes you to various medical conditions that deteriorate the quality of your life over time. So, do something about it. The first thing on your list is to get yourself checked by a doctor, preferably someone who specializes in sleep health. You may even need to set an appointment in an accredited sleep clinic to get all the needed information from you and that requires you spending the night in that facility.
If you are doing your best to implement good sleep habits and are still having trouble sleeping, you might have a sleeping disorder. One major type of sleeping disorder is sleep apnea. Sleep apnea is a disorder that occurs when a person’s breathing is disrupted during sleep, meaning the brain and the body lose oxygen. One form of sleep apnea occurs when soft tissues in the back of the throat collapse. Another form occurs when the brain stops sending signals to the airways. If you have sleep apnea look into getting a CPAP machine. CPAP stands for continuous positive airway pressure. These machines push air into your airways to force them open.
(Via: http://www.tgdaily.com/health/your-best-sleep)
There’s no need to panic yet, especially if you plan on seeing the doctor right away, since sleep apnea is a treatable condition. A surgery is not always warranted except in dire instances where the congenital anomaly is the only thing that can relieve you of sleep apnea. Sometimes, simple lifestyle changes can do wonders for your condition. Healthy practices like exercising, adopting a regular sleep pattern, quitting smoking (for smokers) and avoiding caffeine or heavy meals right before retiring to bed, may help in a way although medical experts still prescribe CPAP as the management of choice as it ensures the airway is always open while you’re deep in slumber and no breathing gaps will put your life at risk.
Oral appliances typically treat OSA by holding a patient’s lower jaw open and slightly forward during sleep, which prevents an obstruction of the airway; it’s a mechanism similar to the jaw-thrust maneuver employed during cardiopulmonary resuscitation or CPR.
But most prescription oral appliances—of which there are more than 100 and counting with FDA clearance in the United States1—must be custom fitted by a qualified dentist, who ensures the device is efficacious and reasonably comfortable for the specific patient. Finding the correct setting in millimeter increments can be accomplished in three ways, each of which can be used in conjunction with the others:
(Via: http://www.sleepreviewmag.com/2018/01/oral-appliance-titration-psg/)
Aside from sleep doctors, you may also need to see a dentist since they can also help in the management of sleep apnea. Specific oral appliances can help open up the airway, the first hurdle in this condition, especially with obstructive sleep apnea. They need to be fitted by a qualified dentist, even doctors won’t be able to help you with this. This is an excellent choice for individuals who hate having to use the CPAP every time they hit the sack. It is also the inspiration to anti-snoring mouthpieces that are growing in popularity nowadays. Take your pick from https://snoringmouthpiecereview.org/good-morning-snore-solution or https://snoringmouthpiecereview.org/snorerx for a more cost-effective yet effective solution to your sleep apnea while you are still waiting for results or deliberating with your doctor the best recourse for your condition.
