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Sleep Apnea Treatment
Sleep Apnea Treatment in Minneapolis
What is sleep apnea?
Sleep apnea is a disorder that occurs after falling asleep, and where breathing stops for a short period. Each stop in breathing is called an apnea, and it can occur dozens and often hundreds of times in a single evening.
A person with even mild sleep apnea wakes up many times in an evening. Irregular waking like this interrupts the sleep cycle, which for a good night's sleep — and overall good health — must include "deep sleep". Deep sleep, however, only sets in after a period of lighter sleep, and if this lighter period of sleep is interrupted — such as in the case of an apnea — deep sleep is never or not as often reached.
What are its symptoms?
As a result of not reaching "deep sleep" during the normal sleep cycle, a person with sleep apnea is often excessively tired during the day, and also likely to be irritable and forgetful.
The most common and noticable symptom of sleep apnea is snoring. Snoring results from the partial blockage of the air path from the mouth to the lungs.
Can sleep apnea be serious?
Sleep apnea impedes judgement and reaction time in almost all its forms, which can be dangerous when driving and in certain occupations. In the most severe cases of sleep apnea, however, there does exist the danger that the breathing fails to resume after it is partially stopped in an apnea, and the person simply fails to wake up.
What is the treatment?
Treatments for sleep apnea vary according to the type of sleep apnea. Sleep apnea first should be diagnosed in a professional, formal "sleep study", where the diagnosis of sleep apnea is established and the type of sleep apnea determined. A treatment plan can then be created.
Do I have Sleep Apnea?
An initial questionaire gives us an idea if you may have a sleep apnea problem. After you fill it out, we can advise you further about your concerns. Call the office, and we help you from there.