Blonde woman in a white shirts yawns at her desk during the day due to chronic fatigue

How Do I Know If I Have Sleep Apnea?

January 25, 2023 1:25 am
Published by Megan Jones, DDS

Many Americans live with undiagnosed sleep apnea. You may have this condition if you always feel tired, suffer from frequent morning headaches, and/or snore very loudly. Sleep apnea can have serious health effects so it’s important to get a diagnosis and seek treatment as soon as possible.

What are the symptoms of sleep apnea?

Obstructive sleep apnea is the most common type of this particular sleep disorder. Your airways become blocked by the soft tissue of your throat while you sleep. To open your airways again, your body has to wake up just enough to restart your breathing. You probably won’t remember how often you’re waking up. In severe cases, you can wake up around 25-30 times in an hour.

Your quality of sleep suffers with so many interruptions and you’ll quickly start experiencing negative effects, such as:

Chronic fatigue and daytime drowsiness, no matter how much sleep you get
Frequent headaches
Difficulty focusing during the day
Waking up with a dry and/or sore throat
Waking up choking and gasping for air
Chronic snoring
Irritability

How is sleep apnea diagnosed & treated?

If you’re experiencing sleep apnea symptoms, the next step is to get an assessment. Sleep apnea is usually diagnosed during a sleep study. Your sleep is monitored so a doctor can identify how often you’re waking up. Our office can provide sleep apnea treatment once you’re diagnosed. We offer TAP Sleep Care one-size and custom oral appliances. You can choose to get a one-size device right away or wait a few weeks to get a custom one made.

Sleep Apnea Treatment in Shoreline, WA

Untreated sleep apnea can have serious consequences, such as an increased risk for anxiety and depression, high blood pressure and heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and more. Thankfully, there are non-invasive treatments available that can significantly improve your quality of sleep. Please contact us today if you have questions or want to move forward with sleep apnea treatment!

Categorized in: Oral Health

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