Sleep Apnea
Sleep Apnea reduces your quality of sleep and leaves you tired and sleepy during the day. It is a serious sleep disorder in which a person completely stops breathing during sleep. Sleep Apnea is caused by a reduction of airflow to the lungs due to an obstruction of the airways. It is common among people over forty and those who are overweight. People suffering from Sleep Apnea stop breathing several times during the night, at times even a hundred times in a single night. When this occurs, the oxygen flow to the brain and the rest of the body are disrupted. If left untreated, it can give away to more serious and fatal problems such as heart attack, stroke, arrhythmias, depression, high blood pressure or hypertension.
It is not easy to detect Sleep Apnea. The most common sign is chronic snoring which gets louder over time. Other symptoms include
- Fatigue and sleepiness during the day
- Breathing through the mouth not the nose
- Getting up frequently during the night to drink water and urinate
- Headache when you wake
- Dry mouth
- Memory problems, inability to concentrate effectively
- Feelings of depression and mood swings
- Restless sleep
Dr. Kantarovich treats sleep Apnea in a variety of ways: First, a sleep study is ordered and the results are analyzed, then Dr. Kantarovich take custom impressions and fabricates a specific appliance which is worn by the patient at night to prevent sleep apnea. Dr. Kantarovich always recommends the patient have a follow up sleep study with the appliance to verify its efficiency.
