Who doesn’t want a good night’s sleep? Some common sleep-friendly suggestions are going to bed at the same time each night, limiting exposure to electronics before bed time, and keeping your bedroom between about 60 and 67 degrees. If you do your best, but still wake up without feeling rested, perhaps sleep apnea is an issue. Diagnosing and treating sleep apnea is a skill of your dentist. If you suspect you may have sleep apnea after reading over this quiz, please call our office for a consultation appointment.
Sleep Apnea Quiz Questions:
- Jane has been working on a deadline, and is concerned about work. For two weeks, she tossed and turned at night. The good news is, after Jane made her presentation, she returned to her habit of sleeping comfortably through the night.
- Tom is a smoker, and in his fifties. Over the past few years, he has gained a bit of weight. His spouse is complaining that his snoring now happens almost every night. It is becoming louder. Tom is also feeling tired during the day, but he doesn’t know why. Should he make an appointment to talk to his dentist about sleep apnea?
- Mark lives alone. He often feels tired during the day, but has always thought he was just a “low energy” person. He wakes up for no reason several times a night, and he knows he tosses and turns in his sleep. He has tried going to bed earlier, and eating a nutritious diet, but he still feels tired.
Sleep Apnea Quiz Answers:
- Jane sleep appears to be affected by situational stress. Sleep apnea does not generally appear suddenly, and is not related to outside stresses. If Jane is concerned, she can discuss her sleep situation with her dentist at any consultation or preventive care dental appointment.
- Tom has some of the risk factors and signs for sleep apnea. Being male, overweight, and having a history of smoking are all risk factors. Some of the other factors include a family history of sleep apnea, and a history of high blood pressure, diabetes and/or asthma. Tom’s dentist can help diagnose a sleep apnea issue, and can also help with a solution.
- Mark’s persistent tiredness and low day time energy are two potential indicators of sleep apnea. It’s possible that Mark does snore (many people with sleep apnea do snore) but is unaware of that fact. Frequent waking, and restless sleeping are other indicators that Mark may periodically stop breathing, causing his body to startle awake. A consultation with a dentist could help determine whether sleep apnea is an issue.
