Healthy Sleep Apnea Lifestyle Tips for a Longer Life Expectancy

Snoring is quite possibly one of the most annoying sounds in the world, especially when you’re trying to sleep — and it potentially affects an entire household.

Dr. Lewis Yu and Dr. Grace Liu, your biological and holistic dentists in Wilmington, know a thing or two about snoring and how it’s related to a possibly life-threatening condition commonly called sleep apnea or obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). They can help you identify and treat this disorder, using healthy lifestyle tips (and special oral appliances) to keep you breathing better and living longer. 

What is Sleep Apnea?

Sleep apnea happens to individuals of all ages during sleep when your muscles relax, and the soft tissue in the back of your throat collapses, resulting in airway obstruction or blockage. This leads to a reduction or complete pause in breathing that’s a severe health hazard!

Is snoring or sleep apnea something that’s been an issue for your health? How about in your bedroom with your bed partner? You’re not alone. It’s estimated that about 22 million Americans suffer from sleep apnea. The number of cases diagnosed yearly continues to grow as more people, and healthcare providers become aware of its dangers and health risks.

Negative News Before the Positive Results

As your biological and holistic dentists in Wilmington, we want to focus on prevention for your oral and overall health, protecting you from the risk of harmful health issues such as sleep apnea. There’s been growing research over the years linking sleep apnea to the increase in the likelihood of heart attacks, strokes, and premature death. 

Consider the person in your life who snores loudly and frequently. Do they also have:

1. Unexplainable or unmanageable high blood pressure
2. Gasping or choking during the night
3. Long-term daytime fatigue or sleepiness
4. Headaches
5. Dry mouth
6. Sore throats

Please don’t discount these issues as “nothing” when it could be something as serious as sleep apnea. Simple at-home testing can help identify this condition with multiple successful treatments available. Dr. Yu and Dr. Liu can share with you all of your options at our biological and holistic dental office In Wilmington. 

Get More Out of Life (and Sleep)

You can do this today to help keep you living healthier and getting the most out of your sleep every night:

1. Start by taking the steps to maintain a healthy weight to help with obstructive breathing issues.
2. Stretch your mind and body with some rejuvenating yoga therapy that can improve respiratory strength and encourage oxygen flow.
3. Avoid alcohol and smoking that can cause damaging inflammation in your airways and also reduce the airflow.

Along with the American Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine, we support using oral appliances to help treat sleep apnea. This is an excellent alternative to C-PAP therapy which is effective for many people, but others find it uncomfortable. You can also talk to us about how a custom oral appliance can help with repositioning your jaw and tongue to free up your airway overnight. 

The key to beating your sleep apnea is getting help sooner rather than later. The biggest lifestyle boost you can give yourself today is to contact our holistic dental office in Wilmington to schedule an appointment. Let us help you down the path to improving sleep and life longevity. 

(New Patients • 302-600-1165 – Current Patients • 302-239-1641)

NOVEMBER BLOG (Biological Dentistry – What is biological health)