Sleep apnea is a condition associated with several symptoms, including excessive snoring and interruptions in breathing while sleeping. Both symptoms can interfere with your ability to obtain restful sleep and leave you feeling unrested upon waking. Obstructive sleep therapy is a method for reducing the symptoms of sleep apnea so you can get the rest you need. We offer obstructive sleep therapy at our sleep clinic in Attleboro Falls, the Attleboro Center for Dental Sleep Medicine.
Sleep Apnea
The chronic snoring and interruptions in breathing that occur with sleep apnea are caused by the airway becoming partially blocked. When tissues in the throat relax, they tend to collapse across the airway. This causes the collapsed tissue to vibrate, which produces a snoring sound. Further, the collapsed tissues obstruct the airway and make it difficult for air to reach the lungs, which leads to brief interruptions in breathing. Snoring and interrupted breathing make it difficult to achieve restful sleep.
Individuals with sleep apnea are not always aware they have the condition and might not realize it is what is affecting their ability to sleep. Symptoms of sleep apnea include:
- Excessive snoring
- Interrupted breathing
- Gasping for breath during the night
- Feeling unrested or headaches upon waking
- Feeling sleepy or irritable throughout the day
- Difficulty concentrating and remembering things
Multiple factors can increase the chance of developing sleep apnea. Risk factors include being overweight or middle-aged and having high blood pressure, as well as a family history of the condition. Men are also more likely to develop sleep apnea than women.
Obstructive Sleep Therapy
At our sleep clinic in Attleboro Falls, we use obstructive sleep therapy to treat sleep apnea. This method involves wearing a custom-made oral appliance similar to the mouth while sleeping. The appliance resembles a mouthguard and helps reposition the lower jaw in a forward position, which realigns the airway and prevents it from becoming blocked. Obstructive sleep therapy helps reduce or eliminate excessive snoring, as well as interruptions in breathing, so you can attain more restful sleep.
If you are struggling with excessive snoring and interrupted breathing while trying to sleep, you might have sleep apnea. Obstructive sleep therapy could help. To learn more, schedule an appointment with one of the sleep medicine specialists at our sleep clinic in Attleboro Falls by calling Attleboro Center for Dental Sleep Medicine at (508) 699-9550.