Did you know our actions right before bed, among other factors, could impact how well we sleep? In today’s blog, your Greenville, TX, dentist will look at tips for improving how well you rest, and when you should consider seeing us for sleep solutions to issues like obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) or chronic snoring.

Improving Your Nighttime Habits

First, let’s talk about the importance of the two hours before. Often, eating a large meal, engaging in vigorous exercise, or consuming products with caffeine in the hours before bed could make falling asleep and staying that way difficult. Excessive alcohol consumption, which may make you feel initially sleepy, could cause you to wake later in the night or very early in the morning. Screen use is a factor too! Did you know that the blue light your smartphone emits could be interpreted by your brain as sunlight? Looking at your device in bed could make falling asleep more difficult.

Recognizing the Warning Signs of Trouble

However, you could also have a sleep disorder that impacts how we you rest. For example, if you often experience chronic snoring, daytime drowsiness, or wake up suddenly choking or gasping for air, then you may have sleep apnea. With OSA, this means that you stop breathing briefly as soft tissues in the throat and mouth collapse and block airways. This could interrupt your sleep cycle multiple times in the night, so you feel exhausted the next day. Moodiness, depression, headaches, and dry mouth are common too, and concentrating on tasks at work or school could be difficult as well. When you experience these signs of trouble, let us know!

Diagnosis and Treatment

While resting on your side and avoiding exercise, alcohol caffeine, or large meals right before bed could be helpful, sometimes you need more than just changes to your nighttime routine. With a sleep assessment, we will ask a series of questions to gauge risk factors for OSA. We will the send you home with the pulse oximeter device, which records sleep habits as you rest. With these details, we can decide if you need an oral appliance to help keep airways open in the night. If so, we will design a custom oral appliance that fits comfortably and helps you enjoy a good night’s rest. If you have any questions about improving your rest, or about treatment with oral appliance therapy, then contact our team today to learn more.

Smith Family Dentistry in Greenville Talks About Sleep Solutions

At Smith Family Dentistry, we know how to help you rest easier at night and feel more alert during the day. To learn more about our diagnostic process and treatment options, then talk to Dental Sleep Solutions of Greenville by contacting our office at 903-455-0516.