Sleep Apnea: Snoring Relief in Santa Rosa

Sleep is an important part of life. While many joke that they do not need it, or that they can survive without it, sleep is a restorative process. When you sleep, your mind and body repair themselves. This then allows you to function at your best every day. Everyone has the occasional night where they do not sleep well. When you do not sleep well, you might find yourself groggy and unable to operate properly.

However, after a good night of sleep, everything is back to normal. For millions of Americans, however, good sleep is elusive. No matter what they do, they wake up feeling exhausted every single morning. This is a condition known as sleep apnea, and Santa Rosa dentist, Harry Albers DDS can help.
 

What Is Sleep Apnea?

Sleep apnea is a condition that affects your quality of sleep. As you sleep, your body goes through two cycles. These cycles repeat several times during the course of the night. They are necessary for you to heal physically, mentally, and emotionally. With sleep apnea, you stop breathing temporarily as you sleep. The pauses are temporary, lasting several seconds.

When you stop breathing, your brain partially wakes you up. This can occur several times during the night depending upon the severity of your condition. Every time you wake up and then go back to sleep, your body restarts the sleep cycles from the very beginning. As a result, you are unable to complete the necessary cycles to get the rest you need. This leaves you waking up feeling like you never went to sleep at all.
 

Symptoms Of Sleep Apnea

Waking up feeling exhausted is one of the most common, and most obvious, symptoms of sleep apnea. It is not the only one, however. There are several other symptoms that can point toward sleep apnea. In addition to snoring, other symptoms make include:

• Episodes in which you stop breathing during sleep — which would be reported by another person
• Gasping for air during sleep
• Awakening with a dry mouth
• Morning headache
• Difficulty staying asleep (insomnia)
• Excessive daytime sleepiness (hypersomnia)
• Difficulty paying attention while awake
• Irritability

Contact the office of Harry Albers DDS at (707) 575-1190 to learn about safe and effective treatments for sleep apnea.