Signs You Should Visit a Sleep Apnea Specialist

As a sleep apnea specialist, we treat a lot of patients, many of whom never realized they had a sleep disorder. Sleep apnea is a condition that can impact a person’s entire life. While sleep apnea is debilitating, people may not really understand what it is. Many people are unfamiliar with the condition in general or with the symptoms that manifest. This makes it important to read the following and determine if any of the symptoms match something that you are currently experiencing.

#1. Falling asleep while driving

Falling asleep is a serious issue that can lead to death. Driving while tired is just as dangerous as driving while drunk. This makes it likely that someone who nods off at the wheel will cause a serious accident that can cause injury or even take a life. Anyone who suddenly finds themselves nodding off while driving on multiple occasions needs to consider the health reasons for why it is happening.

#2. Loud snoring

Snoring can certainly be a nuisance but it can also be an indication of a health problem. With sleep apnea, snoring often occurs because the tongue is blocking the airway and the body cannot breathe freely. Snoring and choking can be a sign that the body is actually at risk for not getting enough oxygen.

#3. Sleeping in the evening

Falling asleep after dinner or before the sun goes down is not normal for most people. If there has been a sudden change in sleeping patterns with a person falling asleep earlier and earlier, it is often an indication of either poor health or of sleep apnea. Seeking an examination from a specialist can help determine the cause.

#4. Constantly feeling tired

If after getting 8 hours of sleep, a person still feels fatigue, it can be an indication that they are suffering from a poor quality of sleep. Often this is due to a lack of oxygen. As a sleep apnea specialist, we can determine if this fatigue is the result of a sleep disorder or a health problem. In the case that the cause is another health issue, we will recommend another doctor to diagnose the underlying health problem.

What is sleep apnea?

Obstructive sleep apnea is where the airway becomes blocked and the body does not receive the oxygen necessary to be fully functional. People tend to be at risk for this at night because while sleeping, the lower jaw bone will fall backward and the tongue with it. The tongue then begins to block the actual airway so that when someone breathes, the air is not going directly into the body but first, must move around the obstructive tongue.

While the individual still receives oxygen, it is significantly less than normal. Older people and anyone who drinks excessively can be at a greater risk for this problem. People who are overweight also increase the risk of sleep apnea. Nonetheless, obstructive sleep apnea can impact anyone.

Visit a sleep apnea specialist

Oxygen is critical for health. Without enough of it, health problems are going to develop beyond feeling fatigued all the time. This makes it critical for your health and safety to visit our clinic if you believe you could have sleep apnea or another sleep disorder. We can conduct an examination and determine the likelihood of this being the case.

If so, our treatment plans are designed to solve the problem as quickly as possible and improve our patients’ quality of life.