Not surprisingly, it turns out that breathing while you sleep is good for you. While most of us can agree with this simple fact, too many people think that if they are not breathing while asleep, that they would be the first to know. The fact is that individuals struggling to breathe while asleep are often the last to know. Don’t wait until your life has been complicated by sleep apnea. Be proactive and have your sleep evaluated before the development of one of many complications such as stroke, heart attack or high blood pressure.

As an internal medicine physician in the late 90’s, I discovered that a lot of my patients were not breathing correctly while they slept. Because of this, their sleep was initially fragmented and of declining quality. Over time, unfortunate health issues developed for many. Helping them open their airway while sleeping resulted in better sleep, more energy, and improvements in health.

At one time surgery was the primary intervention for sleep apnea. Over the years, however, it has lost favor due to pain, ineffectiveness and newer more effective alternatives. Almost all of my patients do well with CPAP or BiPAP therapy. Once acclimated, PAP therapy is almost always effective at keeping a patient’s airway open while asleep. Newer masks, nasal pillow masks, more effective humidification and recording capability have made this therapy the place to start--and in over 90% of the cases the place to stay. Those with milder cases of sleep apnea or those with trouble acclimating to CPAP also can explore an Oral Appliance/dental device. The Oral Appliance works in 30-70% of the cases, but caution should be practiced when it comes to TMJ joint, teeth or jaw pain and malocclusion of the bite.

If your hospital partners with Whitney Sleep, you can be tested and treated for sleep apnea right at the local hospital. Discuss with your doctor if you have compromised sleep.