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SLEEP DISORDERS
Getting a good night’s sleep is essential to good health! If you or your partner’s sleep is being disrupted by a sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) problem, such as snoring or sleep apnea, you could be at risk of developing a host of health problems – some quite serious!
The primary reason behind many SDB problems is the way the tongue, jaw and other tissues in the mouth and throat are positioned. For this reason, dentists with the right training are uniquely qualified to provide safe, non-surgical, and highly effective treatment options.
If you or someone you love suffers from non-restful sleep, consult your primary healthcare provider or make an appointment with us for a dental sleep exam. Proper diagnosis and treatment, if warranted, can improve your quality of life and increase your life expectancy!
Seventy million Americans suffer from sleep disorders according to Carl E. Hunt, Director, National Center on Sleep Disorders Research. The result is a huge sleep debt that if left untreated can put you at increased risk of diabetes, hypertension, stroke, heart attack, auto accidents and workplace injuries! |
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Snoring
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Morning headache
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Hypertension
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High blood pressure
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Diabetes
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Fatigue
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Difficulty concentrating
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Reduced work performance
The loudness and tone of the snoring noise is affected by how much air is going through the passage. The greater the obstruction, the greater is the effort to draw air and the louder the noise. As it becomes harder to breath and snoring becomes worse, you may actually stop breathing. This can be a sign of a serious condition called apnea (meaning "want of breath"). However, not everyone who snores suffers from sleep apnea.
Source: National Sleep Foundation
To learn more about Snoring, click here .
Upper Airway Resistance Syndrome (UARS)
The term “Upper Airway Resistance Syndrome” (UARS) is used to describe chronic daytime sleepiness that is often accompanied by snoring, brief yet frequent arousals, and only slightly abnormal breathing.
Unlike snoring and obstructive sleep apnea, UARS is often more prevalent among women than men.
Symptoms may include:
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Sleep-onset insomnia
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Headaches
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Gastroesophageal reflux
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Depression
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Bruxism (grinding of teeth),
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Rhinitis
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Hypothyroidism
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Asthma
People who suffer from UARS lack the typical findings of apnea, hypopnea and nighttime oxygen desaturation on polysomnography (diagnostic sleep studies). As a result, UARS is often not diagnosed by physicians. However, the arousals and sleep fragmentation related to an increased effort to breathe can be diagnosed by measurement of pressure changes in the esophagus.
Source: Quiet Sleep
To learn more about on UARS, click here.
Insomnia
The word "insomnia" comes from the Latin in ("no") and somnus ("sleep"), so it literally means "no sleep" or the inability to sleep. Insomnia can be transient (lasting for several days), intermittent (when transient insomnia recurs), or chronic (lasting for more than a month).
Insomnia is often characterized by one or more of the following sleep complaints:
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Difficulty initiating sleep;
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Difficulty maintaining sleep; or,
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Waking too early in the morning.
The National Sleep Foundation (NSF) 2002 Sleep in America poll shows that 58% of adults in the U.S. experience symptoms of insomnia a few nights a week or more. People experiencing insomnia might begin by examining their sleep habits to see if their sleeplessness is connected with diet, exercise patterns, or sleeping environment. If changing these factors does not alleviate the insomnia symptoms, consult a dentist certified in dental sleep medicine or your family physician.
Source: National Sleep Foundation
To learn more about Insomnia, click here .
Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA)
Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is far more common than central sleep apnea . OSA occurs when air cannot flow into or out of the person’s nose or mouth, although efforts to breathe continue. In a given night, the number of involuntary breathing pauses – or “apneic events” – may be as high as 20 to 60 or more per hour. Snoring and choking between apneic events is common, although not everyone who snores has OSA. The frequent interruptions of deep, restorative sleep often lead to excessive daytime sleepiness and may be associated with early morning headache.
OSA occurs in all age groups and both sexes but is more common in men (it may be underdiagnosed in women) and possibly young African Americans.Early recognition and treatment is important because OSA may be associated with irregular heartbeat, high blood pressure, heart attack, and stroke.
Once diagnosed, OSA is often managed through the use of a Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) machine. Dental appliances that reposition the lower jaw and the tongue have been helpful, too.
Source: National Sleep Foundation
To learn more about Sleep Apnea, click here .
Central Sleep Apnea
There are two main types of sleep apnea. “Central Sleep Apnea” appears to be related to a malfunction of the brain’s normal signal to breathe. It is less common than “Obstructive sleep apnea” which may represent cessation of breathing due to mechanical blockage of the airway.
Prompt and proper diagnosis is an important first step to treating any and all forms of sleep apnea. Problems associated with untreated sleep apnea include hypertension, coronary artery disease, myocardial infarction, stroke, psychiatric problems, impotence, cognitive dysfunction, memory loss, and death.
Source: National Institutes of Health
To learn more about Sleep Apnea of all types, click here.
Sleep Bruxism
Sleep Bruxism (SB) is the gnashing, clenching or grinding of the teeth during sleep. It is the third most prevalent sleep disorder, after sleep talking and primary snoring.
Tooth grinding or tooth-clenching during sleep may cause:
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Abnormal wear of the teeth.
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Sounds associated with bruxism (It's about as pleasant as fingernails on a chalkboard!).
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Jaw muscle discomfort.
Some people have episodes of SB that occur less than nightly with no evidence of dental injury or impairment of psychosocial functioning. Others experience nightly episodes with evidence of mild impairment of psychosocial functioning. Yet others have nightly episodes with evidence of dental injury, temporomandibular joint (jaw) disorders , or moderate or severe impairment of psychosocial functioning.
When someone with suspected sleep bruxism has a polysomnographic test (that is, a diagnostic sleep study conducted at a sleep lab), there is evidence of jaw muscle activity during the sleep period and the absence of abnormal movement during sleep. Other sleep disorders may be present at the same time.
Source: The Sleep Well, Stanford University
To learn more about Sleep Bruxism as well as other sleep disorders, click here .
Parasomnias
Many Americans experience sleep disorders that involve dreaming. These include nightmares, sleep terrors, and REM sleep behavior.
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Nightmares are dreams with vivid and disturbing content. They are common in children during REM sleep. They usually involve an immediate awakening and good recall of the dream content.
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Sleep terrors are often described as extreme nightmares. Like nightmares, they most often occur during childhood, however they typically take place during non-REM sleep. Characteristics of a sleep terror include arousal, agitation, large pupils, sweating, and increased blood pressure. The child appears terrified, screams and is usually inconsolable for several minutes, after which he or she relaxes and returns to sleep. Sleep terrors usually take place early in the night and may be combined with sleepwalking. The child typically does not remember or has only a vague memory of the terrifying events.
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REM sleep behaviors are similar to sleep terrors, but more common in adults. Patients with REM sleep behaviors may complain of sleep disruption, violent behavior with injuries to themselves or to their bed partner, or unpleasant and vivid dreams. Patients are usually middle-aged or elderly, and about one third have an associated neurological disease.
If you or someone you know is experiencing distributed sleep or incurring injuries due to any of these problems, they should consult their doctor. Sleep disorders can often be treated.
Source: National Sleep Foundation
To learn more about Parasomnias, click here .
Periodic Limb Movements
Periodic Limb Movements (PLMS) in sleep are repetitive movements, most typically in the lower limbs, which occur about every 20-40 seconds. If you have PLMS, or sleep with someone who has PLMS (also referred to as PLMD (periodic limb movement disorder), you may recognize these movements as:
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Brief muscle twitches,
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Jerking movements, or
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An upward flexing of the feet
that cluster into episodes lasting anywhere from a few minutes to several hours.
People with PLMS are often not aware of these movements, and often complain of several symptoms, including insomnia, excessive daytime sleepiness, frequent awakenings from sleep, or unrefreshing sleep
While often not indicative of a serious medical condition, PLMS may be a contributing factor in chronic insomnia and/or daytime fatigue because they may cause awakenings during the night. Occasionally, PLMS may be an indicator of a serious medical condition such as kidney disease, diabetes or anemia, which is why you should seek the advice of your family physician or a sleep medicine specialist.
Source: National Sleep Foundation
To learn more about Periodic Limb Movements, click here .
Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS)
Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS) is a neurological disorder characterized by unpleasant sensations in the legs and an uncontrollable urge to move when at rest in an effort to relieve these feelings.
The most distinctive or unusual aspect of RLS is that lying down and trying to relax activates the symptoms. As a result, most people with RLS have difficulty falling asleep and staying asleep. Left untreated, the condition causes exhaustion and daytime fatigue.
The cause of RLS is still unknown, but the symptoms tend to worsen over the years and become more severe in middle-to-old age. The fact that it occurs 3x – 5x more frequently in first-degree relatives of people with RLS than in people without RLS suggests that heredity may be involved. Pregnancy or hormonal changes may temporarily worsen RLS symptoms. Stress, diet or other environmental factors may also play a role.
Source: National Sleep Foundation
To learn more about Restless Legs Syndrome, click here.
Narcolepsy
Narcolepsy is a chronic (long-lasting) neurological (affecting the brain or nerves) disorder that involves your body's central nervous system. The central nervous system is the "highway" of nerves that carries messages from your brain to other parts of your body.
For people with narcolepsy, the messages about when to sleep and when to be awake sometimes hit roadblocks or detours and arrive in the wrong place at the wrong time. This is why someone who has narcolepsy may fall asleep while eating dinner or engaged in social activities – or at times when he or she wants to be awake. About 1 in 2,000 people suffer from narcolepsy. First symptoms, including excessive daytime sleepiness, usually appear between the ages of 15 and 30.
Many physicians are not familiar with identifying the symptoms and diagnostic procedures specific to narcolepsy. Often, these symptoms are associated with other disorders. Asking your physician for a referral to a sleep specialist or sleep lab for a Multiple Sleep Latency Test (MSLT), which measures the time it takes you to fall asleep and to go into deep sleep while taking several naps over a period of time, will help you avoid the delays in diagnosis and treatment that are often experienced by those who suffer from this serious disorder.
Source: National Sleep Foundation
To learn more about Narcolepsy, click here .