How is Your Quality of Sleep?

The quality of your sleep affects your daily activities and has a huge impact on the overall quality of your life. If you are not getting an adequate amount of sleep during the night, then you and your body may suffer from sleep deprivation and be prone to daytime sleepiness. This may affect your productivity and performance at work, may increase your risk for injury or illness, and can be a sign of a more serious health problem.

Sleep Disordered Breathing (SDB)

Sleep disordered breathing (SDB) includes an array of breathing problems during sleep. Snoring, difficulty with breathing, and interrupted breathing are included.  Sleep disordered breathing is a spectrum of severity based on the collapsibility of the airway. Symptoms increase due to the increase in the disruption of airflow.  When the jaw opens and the tongue falls into the back of the throat, the airway narrows forcing air through the smaller opening. This creates vibrations in the throat known as snoring. Although snoring seems physically harmless, it can be an indication for a much more serious and sometimes fatal condition called obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).

Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA)

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) occurs when the airway completely collapses blocking airflow into the lungs. The harder one tries to breathe, the tighter the airway seals. This airway obstruction persists until the brain partially awakens the person. Unconsciously, he/she will close the jaw returning the tongue and throat to a normal position.

The sleep apnea cycle – falling asleep, jaw relaxing, airway collapsing, unconsciously awakening with a gasp, falling back asleep – can repeat itself one time per minute or more in severe cases. With a blocked air passage, one does not receive enough oxygen. Both the awakenings and oxygen deprivation can then trigger other health problems.  Sleep apnea can cause chronic sleepiness strokes, heart attacks, heartburn, morning headaches, depression, and high blood pressure.

Good sleep hygiene, weight loss, and exercise, are some helpful treatments for sleep disordered breathing that a patient can practice on their own. Medical and dental treatments include Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP), Oral Appliance Therapy, and Surgery.

If you have questions about sleep disordered breathing or obstructive sleep apnea we encourage you to ask your physician, dentist or dental hygienist at your next appointment.

© Airway Management Inc. / www.tapintosleep.com