From a young age, we may have experienced at least one person we know snore in their lives. After all, it is often a sign of a restful night of sleep, right? While occasional snoring never harmed anyone, it is chronic snoring you want to be on the lookout for. As a matter of fact, chronic snoring can be a sign of an even bigger concern known as obstructive sleep apnea, and it is best to know the signs and seek treatment early in situations such as these. In today’s blog, your Houston, TX dentist discusses the signs and symptoms of obstructive sleep apnea, as well as details what to expect throughout the process.
What is Obstructive Sleep Apnea?
Caring for your oral health is a process that accompanies you well into your adult life. Though you may be familiar with the immediate practices of brushing, flossing, and practicing preventive strategies overall, it is important to recognize that there are other factors out there that can negatively influence your oral health. For example, dealing with the effects of sleep apnea can have an immediate toll on your body, and the longer you wait to seek treatment, the worse off you will be.
To gain an understanding of just how serious the problem is, we will first define what sleep apnea is. For the purposes of this blog, obstructive sleep apnea is a phenomenon that occurs when the throat muscles relax while you sleep, causing the airway to become restricted.
In order to address the issue, your brain may attempt to send signals that briefly rouse you from slumber. Though this may help in the immediate, you will fall back asleep and the cycle continues. To learn more about this process and what our team can do to help, give us a call today.
Noticing Immediate Effects
Because of the cycle of rousing that occurs during OSA, you do not receive a full-nights rest or a restful sleep. Even if you have slept for what seems to be a solid eight hours, your body will feel the immediate effects the next day.
Some common side effects of OSA include daytime fatigue, nighttime insomnia, hypersomnia during the day, daytime irritability, troubles focusing or concentrating, and more. Contact our office today to learn about additional signs and why you should seek treatment.
Long-Term Complications
Though the immediate effects may seem like nothing more than an inconvenience, it is important to know that untreated sleep apnea will have lifelong implications. For instance, you will begin to have issues related to cardiovascular concerns. You will also experience difficulty with operations, taking medications, liver complications, and much more.
Schedule Your Next Appointment
Our team has years of experience in the treatment needed to address obstructive sleep apnea. Contact Houston SleepWell in Houston, TX by calling 713-796-9600 to schedule your next appointment with our team and learn more today.
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