Does the sound of snoring—yours or somebody else’s—frequently wake you up during the night? That sound may be a wakeup call to a more serious condition known as sleep apnea. A person with sleep apnea experiences stoppages in their breathing numerous times. Each time can last anywhere from a few seconds to a full minute. Most often, sleep apnea is caused by your tongue or throat tissue that relax during sleep and collapse around your airway. Hence, that snoring sound as air vibrates through the narrowed opening. Dr. Dennis C. Ayer treats sleep apnea in Leawood, KS, with a customized sleep appliance that fits comfortably in your mouth to maintain an open airway.
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