Sleep apnea: the signs, the risks, and a treatment you’ll wear

What sleep apnea is

When you fall asleep, the muscles in your throat relax. In obstructive sleep apnea, the most common type, the soft tissue and the back of the tongue fall back far enough to narrow or block the airway. Breathing stops for ten seconds or more, sometimes up to a minute, until your brain jolts you just awake enough to breathe again. It can happen dozens or even hundreds of times a night.

There are two less common types. In central sleep apnea, the airway stays open but the brain doesn’t send the signal to breathe; it’s linked to conditions such as heart failure and stroke. Complex or treatment-emergent sleep apnea is a mix of the two. Oral appliances treat the obstructive kind, which is why a proper diagnosis comes first.

Signs to watch for

Check the ones that sound familiar, for you or for the person you sleep next to.

• Loud snoring
• Pauses in breathing
• Waking up gasping or choking
• Waking many times a night
• Dry mouth or sore throat
• Morning headaches
• Daytime exhaustion
• Trouble focusing
• Irritability or low mood
• Getting up at night to urinate

Check any that apply to you or your partner.

Women often have quieter snoring and are more likely to notice insomnia, fatigue, morning headaches or low mood instead. Why sleep apnea is missed in women.

What untreated sleep apnea can do

Every pause drops your oxygen and spikes your heart rate and blood pressure. Over years, that strain adds up. As published by Love Sleep Wichita, untreated sleep apnea is linked to:

• 2 to 4 times the risk of heart arrhythmias, including atrial fibrillation
• 140% higher risk of heart failure
• 30% higher risk of coronary heart disease
• stroke, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, depression, memory and focus problems, and drowsy-driving accidents

Treatment options

CPAP

A CPAP machine pushes a steady stream of air through a mask to hold your airway open. It works very well when it’s used. Many people find the mask, hose and noise hard to sleep with, and stop using it.

A custom oral appliance

An oral appliance looks like a slim mouthguard. It holds your lower jaw gently forward so your tongue comes with it and the airway stays open. Sleep medicine guidelines recommend it for adults with obstructive sleep apnea who can’t tolerate CPAP or prefer another option. How oral appliance therapy works.

Other options

Weight loss, sleeping on your side and avoiding alcohol before bed can help. For some people, your physician may discuss surgery or an implanted nerve stimulator. Dr. Love and your sleep physician will talk through what fits your diagnosis.

How Love Sleep treats it

1. Sleep testBring your sleep study and prescription, or we’ll order a home sleep test.
2. ConsultationDr. Love reviews your results, your sleep and your options, and checks your jaw joint and bite.
3. 3D scansA CBCT scan of your airway and jaw and a digital scan of your teeth. No putty impressions.
4. Fit and fine-tuneYour custom appliance is fitted, then adjusted over a few visits. A follow-up sleep test confirms it’s working.