But this snoring could actually be sleep apnea, a far more

serious problem. A person with sleep apnea will wake up gasping for air in the middle of night. Or he may gasp for air in his sleep and never be aware that it is happening. This kind of sleep reduces the oxygen in his blood and degrades the quality of his sleep. 

 

When you sleep well with a good supply of oxygen all night long, you have good energy and a strong immune system. Poor quality of sleep can lead to memory lapses, irritability, slow reaction time and reduced immunity. And of course, you just don't feel well after sleeping poorly. 

 

Poor sleep has even been shown to contribute to obesity and Type 2 diabetes. 

 

When sleep apnea gets severe, with many episodes of struggling for air during the night, it has been shown to increase the risk of depression and sexual impotence. A 2001 study also showed that the majority of people who suffer from chronic heart failure, high blood pressure that resists treatment, congestive heart failure and stroke also have sleep apnea. 

 

If you are struggling with this kind of sleep problem or care about someone who is, you deserve to know why apnea occurs and what the solutions are. Yes, there are solutions.

 

WHY DOES IT HAPPEN?

The airway becomes blocked while sleeping because the muscles in the base of the tongue and in the soft palate (the soft palate is the softer portion at the rear of the roof of the mouth) relax too much. The tissues sag into the airway, blocking it. A person's body begins to try to suck air into the lungs but it won't flow. Oxygen levels begin to fall and the heart has to work harder to provide the cells with the little oxygen available. With a mighty gasp or rasping snore, the body finally jerks the airway open and draws a big breath. 

  

This is referred to as Obstructive Sleep Apnea or OSA.

 

 

The number of times this happens and how long the airway is closed each time determines its severity. The sleeper may be completely unaware that it happens, but because of the noise, the spouse may be all too aware!

 

ONE SOLUTION:

Some doctors recommend wearing an air mask while sleeping. Not everyone is comfortable wearing this mask and it has to be connected to a noisy air pump. 

 

 

Many people avoid the use of their masks, therefore receiving no benefit from them. 

 

Other doctors may recommend surgery to tighten the soft parts of the airway. But every surgery involves pain and risk.

 

A BETTER SOLUTION:

Drs. Behm and Youngman are extensively trained in techniques that can provide relief from Obstructive Sleep Apnea. After a thorough examination of the pattern of sleep and structure of the head and jaw, they can prepare an appliance to be worn at night called the Moses Snoring Appliance. This device is specifically designed to control the location of the jaw and tongue so that the airway is kept open. 

 

By moving the teeth and jaw into just the right positions, the tongue is guided forward and the activity of specific muscles is reduced, helping also to decrease clenching or tooth grinding during sleep. But the device is so comfortable that a person can close his lips, talk, and even drink while wearing it. Each appliance is constructed specifically for an individual wearer's mouth. 

 

There are three parts to the Moses Snoring Appliance. 

These two images show each section in a different color so you can see how each part helps keep the airway open. (When you receive a Moses Snoring Appliance, all three sections are combined into one device, and it is all blue, like the first illustration.) 

 

The blue section in this picture is the part that moves your lower jaw forward, essential to keeping the airway open.