Do I Need An Oral Sleep Appliance for Sleep Apnea?

Sleep apnea is a condition that can put you at risk of many other conditions, so if you have sleep apnea, it’s important to get treatment. At Choo Choo City Sleep Solutions, our sleep expert in Chattanooga, TN, can help you get the treatment you need to reduce your risk.

What Is Sleep Apnea?

Sleep apnea is a condition that causes the patient to stop breathing while they’re asleep. Many people with sleep apnea stop breathing because the muscles in the back of their throat relax and block the airway. To start breathing again, the patient must wake up.

Sleep apnea interrupts sleep cycles and can leave patients feeling exhausted throughout the day, even when they slept 8 hours or more. The symptoms of sleep apnea include:

• Loud, disruptive snoring
• Difficulty focusing throughout the day
• Irritability
• Daytime drowsiness
• Headache in the morning
• Dry mouth upon waking up
• Gasping while sleeping
• Frequent waking in the night

How Can An Oral Sleep Appliance Help?

An oral sleep appliance can position the teeth in such a way that the muscles are not allowed to cover the airway during sleep. For some patients, oral sleep appliances can be an acceptable replacement for a CPAP machine.

What Else Can I Do to Control My Sleep Apnea?

If you have sleep apnea, some lifestyle changes can help control it. Here are some ways that some people control their sleep apnea:

• Avoid drinking (especially before bedtime)
• Stop smoking or using tobacco products
• Lose weight if you are overweight
• Exercise more
• Change your sleeping position

Sleep apnea is a condition that can’t be cured, but by using an oral sleep appliance in Chattanooga, TN and by making lifestyle changes, many patients reduce the symptoms of sleep apnea to ensure better quality sleep.

If you wake up tired most mornings, even when you slept for 8 hours or more, this could mean that you have sleep apnea. If your sleep partner or spouse reports that you snore loudly at night, this is a warning sign. Contact the experts at Choo Choo City Sleep Solutions to find out if you need an oral sleep appliance in Chattanooga, TN.