77% of Americans will be snoring this Valentines Day
Over three-quarters of the American population suffer from sleep related problems, mainly snoring. For th sleek e partner who doesn?t snore, lack of sleep is just as dangerous on your health as it is on your relationship. Snoring, fatigue, depression, heart disease and high blood pressure are all common side effects of OSA, Obsessive Sleep Apnea.
This Valentine?s Day, couples across the US will be indulging their partners with chocolates, wines and rich dinners. Come bedtime, the combination of alcohol and the compounds in chocolate have stimulating effects. The National Sleep Foundation recommends avoiding chocolate at bedtime, as it is can cause sleep problems. Throw snoring into the mix, and you?ve got an extremely sleepless Valentine?s.
Snoring is a common sign that you or your partner might have OSA, Obstructive Sleep Apnea. Common treatment for OSA include the CPAP, which blows air into your nose via a nose mask. With much negative consumer feedback, another means of treatment was necessary. “When patient?s stop using CPAP for a variety of reasons their condition worsens. Dentists are now encouraging patient?s to get better fitting masks, and to sometimes stabilize the airway with oral appliances either with or without CPAP.? Explains Dr. Michael Gelb, co-inventor of the Norad Boil and Bite appliance, and TMJ expert at the in New York City. Dr. Gelb is one of Sleep Group Solution’s selected instructors teaching dentists about treating sleep apnea with oral appliances.
Sleep apnea disrupts the sleep of both the diagnosed and their partner, causing both to be sleepy and irritable during the daytime. A study published by Kelly Baron, PhD in 2009 found that disagreements and conflict in the marriage decreased for both husbands and wives after sleep apnea was treated. A good nights rest is in fact critical in a healthy relationship. Dr. Atul Malhotra, Medical Director of the Brigham and Women’s Sleep Disorders Research Program and Associate Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School stated “I have had many patients get divorced over snoring. Once a couple starts sleeping in separate beds, other aspects of their relationship start to break down. Snoring sounds like a trivial problem or an inconvenience, but increasingly data are showing important social as well as medical consequences to it.”
CPAP users may want to consider the, less invasive way to treat OSA, with an oral appliance. “Oral appliances are an excellent way of stabilizing the airway by preventing the tongue and soft palate from collapsing into the back of the throat during sleep. The Norad and Respire oral appliance amongst others have been effective for snoring, mild and moderate sleep apnea,? says Dr. Gelb on using oral appliances instead of CPAP.
About Atul Malhotra, MD
Dr. Atul Malhotra is the Associate Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School Associate Physician, Division of Sleep Medicine and Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital. Administrative Title(s) include Medical Director, Brigham and Women’s Hospital Sleep Disorders Program Clinical Chief, Division of Sleep Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Massachusetts General Hospital. Dr Atul Malhotra is a leader in Sleep Medicine, and a Medical Advisor for Sleep Group Solutions.
About Dr. Michael Gelb
Dr. Gelb received his D.D.S. degree from Columbia University School of Dental and Oral Surgery in 1982, and his M.S. degree from SUNY at Buffalo School of Dental Medicine. He is the former Director of the TMJ and Orofacial Pain Program at the NYU College of Dentistry and is also Clinical Professor in the Department of Oral Medicine and Pathology at the NYU College of Dentistry, Division of Basic Science. He is a Clinical Assistant Professor at Tufts University in Boston. He was awarded Diplomate of the American Board of Orofacial Pain in 1995. Dr. Gelb is a co-inventor of the NORAD, or Nocturnal Oral Airway Dilator appliance, and has also updated the Gelb or MORA appliance – named after his father. Dr Gelb has three patents pending for appliances in sleep and pain management.
About Sleep Group Solution
Sleep Group Solutions is an airway diagnostic technology company serving the needs of physicians and dentists interested in screening, diagnosing and treating sleep apnea and other upper airway disorders. Sleep Group Solutions offers the latest screening and diagnostic equipment solutions for patients who present with allergy, sinus congestion, rhinitis, deviated septum, nasal polyps, snoring and sleep apnea. Most procedures are reimbursed by Medicare and private insurance. SGS offers the most comprehensive dental sleep medicine CE seminars in the industry focused on teaching dentists the protocols needed to make the treatment of snoring and sleep apnea part of their practice. SGS is the manufacture of the Eccovision Pharyngometer / Rhinometer.
