This holiday season, give yourself the gift of good sleep!

There are many things available for purchase each holiday season.  So many, in fact, that the shopping can be quite overwhelming.  In the whirlwind of trying to get everything on the list while scouring ads for “this year’s newest and best,” all at the lowest prices, sometimes it seems impossible to make a decision.  It’s always frustrating, too, to find that some hot item turns out to be dud.

Don’t let that be your experience this year.  One market that we see consistently advertised each year is the “sleep better” category.  Granted, there are a wide variety of items that make this claim.  From pillow-top mattresses, to herbal remedies, from nasal devices, to diet plans, from black-out curtains, to relaxation cd’s, the list is really quite varied.  While many of these things may have some positive effect on your sleep, some people have a much more severe situation, and only proper treatment will provide relief.

Sleep apnea: a condition that affects 20% of U.S. adults; 90% are undiagnosed.

If you have never heard of sleep apnea, but perhaps stumbled across this article because you’ve been having “sleep problems” or “snoring issues,” it’s worth taking a moment to learn more.  Especially if you fall into the group of people who’ve been buying “duds” every holiday, hoping that your sleep quality will improve, but finding no relief.

There are a great many reasons that people do not sleep well.  Sleep apnea is a specific condition in which the breathing airway actually becomes blocked during sleep, cutting off oxygen to the body.  One of the primary signs is snoring.  The body struggling or “gasping” for air is the snoring sound that is heard, and it is not a harmless nuisance.  Apnea episodes can occur from 6 to 100 times per hour, leaving people feeling exhausted when they wake up.  Irritability, headaches, and impaired thinking and memory are common complaints.  Unfortunately, more severe cases can lead to heart disease, stroke, depression and suicidal thoughts.  Apnea sufferers are also at higher risk throughout the day, as their motor skills are impaired from lack of sleep.

If you have concerns because you have any of these symptoms, have been struggling with snoring, or feel that you’re just not getting the sleep you need, do yourself a favor this holiday season.  Don’t buy another “dud”.  Invest in yourself by contacting your doctor about what could be a serious condition, sleep apnea.  Your family physician can help you decide whether you need to see a sleep medicine specialist.  Also, read more at:  http://www.sleep-apnea-dentist-nj.info/index.htm

Happy Holidays, from Central Jersey Dental Sleep Medicine! (732) 251-7766