Snoring is a common symptom of sleep apnea, and the CDC has found that twenty-two million Americans suffer from the condition.
While just about everyone knows someone who snores, few realize that snoring can be an indication of a serious health problem, namely sleep apnea, which is a stoppage of breathing during sleep.
Every apnea or 'event' of decreased oxygen intake causes the brain to send a signal to rouse the body in an effort to resume breathing.
This results in a low quality of sleep, producing daytime fatigue, irritability, and a whole host of other maladies.
Left untreated, sleep apnea may contribute to high blood pressure, obesity, and cardiovascular disease.
Of the 22 million people who suffer from sleep apnea, 10 million are not aware of it simply because they are sleeping.
Many find out when a spouse complains of snoring or periodic gasping during sleep. If someone sleeps alone the problem may go undetected.
Thirty percent of adult males and twenty percent of adult females suffer from obstructive sleep apnea.
One common cause is TMD (temporomandibular disorder). In TMD the jaw is not properly aligned causing a bad bite.
Reportedly, dental analysis and fitting for a mouth can be very effective in treating TMD and sleep apnea.
