How Can You Diagnose Sleep Apnea?

Sleep apnea is a condition that affects many adults on a nightly basis. This condition causes individuals to wake up dozens or even hundreds of times throughout the night without fully regaining consciousness. This condition robs patients of quality, restful sleep, and it’s difficult to catch because it can happen without the affected individual even realizing. So, how can you diagnose sleep apnea if it affects you while you sleep? A sleep assessment study can evaluate a number of different factors to determine whether or not you have the condition. Then, a medical professional can treat the condition.

Why Is Sleep So Important for You?

Sleep is one of the most precious resources you can give your body. You need sleep to function at optimal mental capacity, but sleep deprivation can also have a physical effect. A lack of sleep can lead to higher blood pressure and fatigue throughout the day. It’s not just the volume of sleep that you get at night that matters either. A patient who suffers from sleep apnea may still get seven hours of sleep throughout the night, but the constant interruptions prevent this sleep from having its desired effect for the body.

A Sleep Assessment Diagnoses Sleep Apnea Using a Number of Factors

Sleep assessments can be conducted under the supervision of medical professionals, and in some cases, using a take-home kit. A professional sleep assessment typically includes the examination of factors like your weight and blood pressure, the frequency with which you snore, how fast you lose energy throughout a day, your overall mental health, and your level of irritability throughout a day. Using a combination of criteria, your medical professional can determine whether or not you have sleep apnea.

If You Have Sleep Apnea, You Can Treat the Condition

Sleep apnea doesn’t have to rob you of quality sleep throughout your life. You can treat the condition and start getting better sleep on a nightly basis. In fact, your treatment might not even involve bulky instruments or machines. Many patients can benefit from a custom oral appliance. This oral appliance looks like a mouthguard, and is worn at night while you sleep. The appliance supports your oral structures to eliminate blockages in your airways (often caused by oral tissues like your tongue).

Sleep Apnea Patients in Greenville Can Count on Smith Family Dentistry

While sleep apnea is often characterized by a chronic snore, the effects can be quite serious for patients. If you’re waking up feeling tired and irritated despite getting plenty of sleep, you should schedule yourself a sleep assessment with Smith Family Dentistry. To make this sleep assessment appointment, contact Smith Family Dentistry in Greenville, TX at our office number: 903-455-0516.