If you wake up in the morning after 7-8 hours of sleep and are still consistently tired you may have sleep apnea.
It is estimated that approximately 22 million people in the U.S. alone suffer from sleep apnea, and of those 22 million, only about 20% of them will seek treatment.
Snoring Defined.
Snoring is a sound that occurs during sleep when you can’t move air freely nose and throat causing soft tissue in the airway to vibrate as you breathe. Snoring is not uncommon, especially in men, and the likelihood of snoring increases with obesity, nasal obstruction, alcohol and smoking. Snoring can also be a sign that you have obstructive sleep apnea.
Obstructive Sleep Apnea Defined.
obstructive sleep apnea is the most common type of sleep apnea. It occurs when throat muscles intermittently relax and block your airway during sleep. A noticeable sign of obstructive sleep apnea is snoring. Other potential signs of apnea are excessive daytime sleepiness, insomnia, abrupt awakenings accompanied by gasping or choking, awakening with a dry mouth or sore throat, morning headache, difficulty concentrating during the day.
Are there treatments?
There are treatments. Research shows that oral appliance therapy is an effective treatment option for snoring and obstructive sleep apnea. An oral sleep appliance is a removable mouth appliance worn when you sleep and fits similarly to a sports mouth guard or an orthodontic retainer. Oral appliances support your jaw in a forward position to prevent your upper airway from collapsing.