Sleep Assessment
Do you frequently feel tired and irritable at work? Do you find yourself nodding off in important meetings or during your commute? Many people who have trouble getting a good night’s rest turn to sleeping pills for relief. However, if you are one of the 20 million Americans estimated to have sleep apnea, taking sleeping pills could actually backfire! Keep reading to learn how sleeping pills in Topeka can affect sleep apnea symptoms and how a dentist can help.
What Is Sleep Apnea?
People affected by sleep apnea experience repeated breathing interruptions while they sleep. The most common type of the disorder, obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), occurs when a person’s neck tissue relaxes and blocks airflow. These brief pauses can last 10 seconds or longer and may occur hundreds of times each night. Untreated sleep apnea not only negatively impacts sleep but also can result in serious health problems, like high blood pressure, heart attacks, strokes, obesity, diabetes, and more.
Signs of Sleep Apnea
Many people do not realize they are affected by sleep apnea until their spouse or partner complains about their snoring. Snoring is one of the most common signs of sleep apnea. Other symptoms that may indicate you have sleep apnea include:
- Waking up with a dry mouth
- Waking up gasping for breath
- Headaches
- Irritability
- Daytime sleepiness
- Trouble concentrating at work
- Insomnia
- Weight gain
- Depression or anxiety
Sleeping Pills and Sleep Apnea
It may seem counterintuitive, but taking medication to get better sleep if you have sleep apnea can actually make your symptoms worse. As mentioned above, the breathing interruptions that characterize sleep apnea often occur when a person’s neck tissue relaxes and blocks airflow. However, sleeping pills can relax these same neck tissues further. As a result, you may experience even more severe sleep apnea symptoms if you take sleeping pills in Topeka.
How Your Dentist Can Treat Sleep Apnea
Instead of visiting the pharmacy for sleeping pills, schedule a consultation with an experienced sleep dentist. After discussing your symptoms, they may recommend oral appliance therapy. An oral appliance is a small, custom-made mouthpiece that repositions the jaw to prevent your airway from becoming obstructed. Wearing an oral appliance each night is a highly effective way to alleviate sleep apnea symptoms.
Certain lifestyle changes may also help you reduce your sleep apnea symptoms. For example, your dentist may recommend exercising and eating healthy in order to lose weight, avoiding alcohol before bed, and sleeping on your side.
If you’re experiencing any of the symptoms described above, now you know where to turn. Talk to a trusted sleep dentist in Topeka about oral appliance therapy.
About the Author
Dr. Michael Michel has nearly 40 years of experience helping patients overcome sleep apnea. The proud University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Dentistry graduate has pursued advanced training and continuing education in sleep medicine for decades. To learn more about how to deal with the symptoms of sleep apnea, visit the Sleep Solutions by Michel Dental website or call 785-273-0802.