DO I HAVE SLEEP APNEA?

0948303001599792364.jpg

If you feel as though you have no energy and are too tired to keep up with your friends and family, you should visit our dental office to talk about sleep apnea. This may be what is causing your issues, and a simple non-invasive treatment may be just what you need to feel like yourself again. To schedule an appointment with our dental office, call 212-265-0222. We will be happy to discuss your treatment and then make a recommendation for how you should proceed.

Sleep apnea is a common sleep disorder. It occurs when patients cease breathing for ten or more seconds at a time during sleep. When this occurs, the brain triggers a panic response, elevating blood pressure and waking the sleeper. Many times, patients don’t even notice that this is occurring, but apnea events can occur 100s of times a night. Over time, this results in patients receiving inadequate sleep and suffering countless issues due to exhaustion. Additionally, the repeated elevation in blood pressure has been linked to cardiovascular concerns. If you think you may be suffering from sleep apnea, contact our team to schedule a consultation.

If we determine you’re in need of sleep apnea treatment, Dr. Laura Torrado may be able to help you sleep soundly and breathe deeply without using the often uncomfortable continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) systems that make it difficult for many patients to adjust. Instead, Dr. Torrado custom crafts oral appliances that shift the jaw forward. This tightens the throat muscles keeping the airway clear. Some patients achieve adequate results with an oral appliance alone. However, oral appliances and CPAP can be used in combination to make the CPAP system easier for patients to adjust to.

 

What is sleep apnea?
Sleep apnea is a condition that makes it difficult for your body to receive the oxygen you need to properly function. Without enough oxygen, you will feel drained and sluggish, but since the condition manifests itself at night, most people have no idea that they have it.

How does sleep apnea impact a person’s health?
There are many health problems that can arise from untreated sleep apnea. They can include a stroke, high blood pressure, headaches, diabetes, depression, mood swings, heart failure, ADHD that becomes worse, and an overall lack of wellbeing.

How does sleep apnea negatively impact a person’s life?
With enough oxygen, your body will have a difficult time functioning. Beyond the health effects, this can translate to not having enough energy to stay awake past dinner, enjoy your kid’s birthday parties, go for a bike ride, or even drive your car. In fact, when you are tired, the basic and often mundane activities of life can put you to sleep. This can make it dangerous to get behind the wheel and could compromise your work performance. Essentially, your quality of life can be greatly diminished, making it critical that you visit a New York dentist to have your sleep apnea treated.

What is the difference between sleep apnea and a sleep disorder?
Sleep apnea is a physical condition that makes it impossible to breathe clearly while you are sleeping. As a result, your body will not get enough oxygen to function at an optimal level. A sleep disorder can be one of the following:

  • Insomnia. When it comes to sleep disorders, insomnia can be long-term or temporary. Often brought on by external factors like stress, insomnia can be treated with an oral medication.
  • Narcolepsy. As a sleep disorder, narcolepsy is by far the worst. It can impact you throughout your entire life, making you feel so exhausted that you are forced to suddenly fall asleep, regardless of where you are or what you are doing. Narcolepsy is a true life disrupter.
  • Restless leg syndrome. Commonly impacting pregnant women, restless leg syndrome can force your legs to move all throughout the night. Giving you a feeling of constant tingles or a burning and itching sensation, RLS can be highly distracting and impact anyone at any time. It helps to go for a walk or exercise during the day, since those who are sedentary tend to experience RLS more frequently.
  • Jet lag. While most people view jet lag as a part of long-distance travel, it is a real sleep disorder, and if your body does not adjust well to the changes in time zones, jet lag could impact you for days or even weeks if you continue to travel from place to place. This disruption in your sleep patterns can make it difficult to get caught up on the rest you need, and may leave you feeling worn down to the point of potentially getting sick. Fortunately, this condition will eventually rectify itself when you get back home and stop traveling.
  • Snoring. If you snore too loudly, you could wake up your New York neighbors, your spouse, or just yourself. Many people cannot get a good night’s sleep because they snore too loudly, and this condition is often brought on by sleep apnea.

Sleep Apnea

 


Our Location

Find us on the map

Hours of Operation

Additional hours by appointment

Monday:

Closed

Tuesday:

8:00 am-4:00 pm

Wednesday:

9:00 am-5:00 pm

Thursday:

9:00 am-5:00 pm

Friday:

Closed

Saturday:

Closed

Sunday:

Closed