Are you aware of what sleep apnea is? Did you know that sleep apnea is
detrimental to your health? Yes, it is indeed dangerous since it can
stop your breathing during the night. According to statistics,
approximately 18 million Americans are diagnosed to have sleep apnea and
10 million of them are undiagnosed. It is a condition that affects
approximately 4% of middle-aged men and 2% of middle-aged women. Studies
show that sleep apnea is correlated with heart attack, high blood
pressure, and stroke and also associated with automobile or motor
vehicle accidents.
What is sleep apnea?
It is a serious
disorder wherein a person’s breathing stops and starts repeatedly. In
such instance, it seems as though a person snores loudly during sleep
and his breathing stops which usually lasts from seconds to minutes and
occurs from five to even 30 times during the night. It produces a loud
choking or snorting sound when a person’s normal breathing resumes
again.
Dangers of sleep apnea
This is a primary reason
why individuals with this type of sleeping disorder feel tired during
the day. Moreover, it is one of the primary causes of excessive
sleepiness, less work productivity, interpersonal problems and
accidents.
If left untreated, it can result in life-threatening
conditions such as heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure,
irregularity of heart beat and many more.
How can it be addressed?
At
present, the most preferred method used by individuals with sleep apnea
is the use of a dental appliance. It is comparable to a mouth guard
which they can wear while sleeping. With this device, they can move
freely without the worry of getting it removed and their jaws are left
open to let the oxygen get in freely.
If you or your loved ones
have sleep apnea, then it is best to go to the dentist and have your
needs assessed and obtain the right design and fitting for this sleep apnea device.
