Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) is the most common type of sleep apnea and causes millions of people to suffer from a number of symptoms that disrupt sleep and daily life. Sleep apnea symptoms are numerous and varied, and they can really take a toll on your quality of life. Some of the most surprising symptoms of sleep apnea include:
- Problems with thinking
- Difficulty concentrating
- Memory problems
- Impotence
- Teeth grinding (while you sleep)
- Heartburn (GERD)
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Nighttime waking to relieve yourself (because you’re not sleeping soundly, you’ll be more aware of the need to urinate)
As you can see by this list of lesser-known sleep apnea symptoms, poor quality sleep will affect many aspects of your life and make focusing at work during the day quite challenging. If you think you have sleep apnea or have been diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea and feel it’s time to begin treating this complex sleep disorder, a Miami Beach sleep apnea dentist can help. With so many advances in OSA treatment, you need not suffer from sleep apnea symptoms for the rest of your life.
What is Obstructive Sleep Apnea?
People with sleep apnea struggle with sleep because the tissue in the airway becomes so relaxed that it collapses, causing a blocked airway. A blocked airway causes a sleeping person to choke and gasp for air as many as hundreds of times per night.
Sleep apnea and snoring are very closely related; if you snore, you likely have sleep apnea, and if you have sleep apnea, you will likely snore—loudly. Many people don’t even realize they have sleep apnea until their snoring disrupts their partner’s life so much that they have no choice but to seek help from a Miami Beach sleep apnea dentist.
Snoring and Obstructive Sleep Apnea
Snoring is the sound you make when air is forced through your collapsed airway. No wonder you’re getting such bad sleep when your body struggles to breathe for eight hours each night. Your spouse or loved one may tell you constantly how disruptive your sleep is, but you may never be aware of it yourself. Many people sleep right through sleep apnea episodes but disrupted sleep still takes its toll even when you’re unaware.
If you have sleep apnea, the next day, you may also experience these symptoms of sleep apnea:
- Sleepiness
- Fatigue
- Irritability
- Anxiety
- Poor concentration
- Memory problems
- Depression
- Moodiness
- Brain fog
You may find it very difficult to function during the workday if you have sleep apnea. You may feel exhausted at bedtime, but still, sound sleep eludes you. You will wake up and start a new day without being rested and rejuvenated. Some people suffer from Obstructive Sleep Apnea for years or even decades before seeking help from a Miami Beach sleep apnea dentist.
Once you’ve gotten a proper obstructive sleep apnea diagnosis, treatment may begin. A sleep study done in the privacy of your own home over two nights (or done in a medical facility, if you prefer) will provide expert sleep analysts the data they need to determine whether or not you have Obstructive Sleep Apnea. If you do have sleep apnea, your Miami Beach sleep apnea dentist can begin treating you right away.
OSA Treatment
As medical and dental professionals learn more about Obstructive Sleep Apnea, treatment options become more numerous and advanced. While CPAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure) has always been the go-to treatment for sleep apnea symptoms, there are other treatment modalities that many people find more appealing.
Oral Appliance Therapy (OAT) for sleep apnea is highly effective, and it requires none of the machinery that CPAP does. You simply wear a custom-made oral appliance according to your dentist’s instructions, and, in no time at all, your sleep apnea symptoms should lessen, and your quality of sleep should improve.
Learn More About Sleep Apnea Symptoms in Miami Beach, Florida
Please contact the sleep apnea dentists at SoBe Dentist™ by calling (305) 535-2225. If you have already been diagnosed with sleep apnea, you may begin treatment after your Miami Beach sleep apnea dentist evaluates you and discusses treatment options. You may also fill out our online contact form, and one of our sleep apnea team members will reach out to answer questions or schedule a new patient evaluation.
