If you often feel like you just can’t get enough sleep or you wake up with a headache every morning, you might be suffering from a serious sleep disorder, like sleep apnea. Here are few important facts that you should know about this common, and often left untreated sleep disorder.

Sleep Apnea is a very common condition

According to official statistics, about 40 million American adults suffer from chronic sleep disorders. More than half of them (22 million) are dealing with sleep apnea – a condition, which can lead to serious health issues, like high blood pressure, diabetes, and others.

Sleep apnea comes with certain symptoms

Sleep apnea can be distinguished by several symptoms. Should you experience any of the following you should consider consulting a Burien medical professional:

• Loud snoring
• Restless sleep
• Waking up choking or gasping for air
• Early morning headaches
• Daytime sleepiness
• Mood changes

Sleep Apnea can be of several types

Sleep apnea is a sleep disorder, characterized by pauses in breathing or periods of shallow breathing during sleep. Each pause can last for a few seconds to several minutes and is usually followed by loud snoring.

Sleep apnea can be of three types: obstructive (OSA), central (CSA), and a combination of the two. Obstructive sleep apnea, which is the most common one, is caused by obstruction of the upper airway. Central sleep apnea is a condition in which the airway is not blocked but the brain fails to signal the muscles to breathe. The combination of the two former described conditions is known as a complex sleep apnea.

Sleep apnea can affect everyone

The stereotype of a sleep apnea patient is an overweight or obese man, who snores. However, not only overweight men suffer from this sleep disorder. In fact, clinical studies show that women after menopausal age are as likely to be affected of sleep apnea as men.

Among female celebrities, who are suffering from sleep apnea are Anne Rice, Roseanne Barr, and Rosie O’Donnell.

Sleep Apnea can be treated!

The most common treatment for moderate and severe sleep apnea is the use of sleep apnea appliances. These are worn while sleeping to keep the throat and airway of the patient open. Using sleep apnea devices reduces daytime sleepiness and lowers the number of times you pause or stop breathing during your sleep.

Even though there is a big variety of sleep apnea appliances, available on the market, you should always consult with your Burien dentist before buying one, as such devices might need some modification and customization to meet your individual needs.

If you experience any of the above-described sleep apnea symptoms and you live or work in Burien, you should consult a medical professional like Dr. Lee from Burien Family Dental Care. Dr. Lee would offer you a custom-made oral appliance to eliminate snoring and help you overcome sleep apnea.