Everyone deserves a great night’s sleep. Sleep is essential for your wellbeing. Think of it like a computer that needs to be shut down or rebooted. When you’re not sleeping well, your body is put in the balance and may leave you exhausted at work, school or other places. Staying alert and being in the best health possible involves getting your beauty sleep. There are those out there who have trouble sleeping because of a well-known disease that has spread throughout the country amongst many adults — sleep apnea. It’s not the same as insomnia, so let’s squash that right off the bat. If you or someone you know is an excessive snorer and is causing themselves to stop breathing at points during the night, we would highly recommend they or you receive sleep apnea treatment at our office in Mount Pleasant, SC. Dr. Virginia Gregory and her staff are prepared to provide you with a full night’s sleep that will keep you well rested for years to come.
What Exactly is Sleep Apnea?
Let’s give you the literal definition first: it’s the involuntary cessation of breathing during the course of a patient’s sleep cycle. To put it in basic terms, it occurs when a patient’s breathing has subsided for roughly 10-20 seconds. This isn’t good. Any cessation of breathing can cause major problems and even become fatal.
If you thought there weren’t any risks associated with sleep apnea, think again:
- High blood pressure
- Heart disease
- Eye issues
- Stroke
- Chronic fatigue
- Depression
- Diabetes
These aren’t all of them, but the most common. Do any of those risks sound like something you want to experience? We’re going to imagine it’s going to be an emphatic “no”.
Though loud snoring is the most common indicator of sleep apnea, there are other symptoms to keep your eye out for. Some may surprise you:
- Obesity
- Recurring daytime sleepiness
- Waking up without breath repeatedly throughout the night
- Persistent dry mouth or headaches upon awakening
It’s important to remember that just because someone is a loud snorer doesn’t necessarily mean they are suffering from sleep apnea. The only way to know for sure is by visiting our office and sitting down with Dr. Gregory.
Schedule an Appointment
We’d love to treat your sleep apnea problems if they’re causing you to lose hours of sleep. Take back your nights with our sleep apnea treatment. To learn more, speak with our staff and schedule an appointment at our Mount Pleasant, SC office. We’re happy to serve the surrounding communities of Charleston, North Charleston, Wando, Hanahan and beyond.