Snoring affects up to 40% of the adult population
Snoring can be very loud and disruptive to sleep patterns and significantly affect your quality of life. It can place great stress on relationships, affecting the individual as well as the sleep of partners and family members.
What is snoring & why do I do it?
Snoring is a hoarse, rumbling sound which is caused by the vibration of soft structures at the back of the throat. The vibration is due to the partial airway obstruction during sleep. In normal sleep, air passes through the nose and passed the structures at the back of the throat. When you are awake the muscles hold the airway open and while you sleep they relax. If these muscles over relax the airway will become partially obstructed, causing the tissues to vibrate creating a snoring sound.
Snoring can also be a symptom of a more serious condition known as Obstructive Sleep Apnea or Obstructive Sleep Apnoea. Millennium Dental Mosman in Mosman can treat this condition using advanced sleep apnea therapy known as Somnomed Sleeping Devices.
What is Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA)?
Approximately 40% of people who snore have Obstructive Sleep Apnea. Obstructive Sleep Apnea can cause many interruptions to breathing throughout the night. People who suffer from Obstructive Sleep Apnea have disrupted sleep and low blood oxygen levels. It can also lead to Heart Disease, increased blood pressure as well as a higher risk of stroke and heart attack.
In OSA patients, the soft tissues in the throat collapse and are sucked against the back of the throat. This action blocks the upper airway and stops air flow. When the oxygen level in the brain becomes low enough, the sleeper will partially awaken. The obstruction clears and air begins to flow again – usually causing the sleeper to snort and gasp. This leaves the person with excessive day time sleepiness and fatigue.
Sleep Apnea Treatment – Somnomed Sleeping Devices
Somnomed sleeping devices are easy and comfortable to wear during sleep. They are similar to a custom fitting mouth guard and will not prevent you from talking, opening and closing your mouth or yawning. Dental Sleep Appliances are scientifically proven and widely regarded by Sleep Physicians as the best available treatment for snoring and mild Obstructive Sleep Apnoea.
How do Somnomed Sleeping Devices work?
They work by holding the lower jaw slightly forward and bringing the tongue with it. This prevents the tissues at the back of the throat from collapsing back in the airway – keeping the airway open.
