How you breathe while you are asleep matters. Are you aware of how you breathe during the day?It turns out your breathing is at its worst during the night. You breathe roughly 1000 breaths per hour, and this is the foundation of your health. 

If your breathing is poor during the day and worse at night it can increase your risk of diabetes, high blood pressure, heart problems like A fib, liver problems, sleep deprived partners, stroke, dementia, cancer, and death.

If you have no idea what is going on while you are awake, there is a good chance things are going wrong during the night leaving you unrefreshed, lacking focus and just plain grouchy. Sleep Disordered Breathing (SDB) exists on a continuum. It begins with: 

• sleeping with your mouth open
• next comes snoring
• then a newer category called upper airway resistance. 
• The end stage is sleep apnea. Why wait to start paying attention until your insurance company says you qualify for a CPAP.
  

Self-Test to identify if you are on the path to having Sleep Apnea.

Some symptoms to look out for: Daytime tiredness, insomnia, depression, morning headaches, clenching/grinding, weight gain, dry mouth or throat, snoring, gasping for air while sleeping. 

There are red flags that can be seen in the mouth before it gets to the end stage of sleep apnea.  Some examples are missing teeth that have been extracted for orthodontics, stuffy nose, high narrow palate, tongue tie, swollen tonsils, enamel wear, and muscle strain in the face. A team approach is needed to address this complex issue. 

If you are struggling with your sleep in the dark, silence of the night there are things you can do. Improving the muscle function of the face and mouth, breathing and sleep quality are a piece of the puzzle in overall wellness. Don't wait until you are at the end stage of sleep breathing breathing; sleep apnea = choking in your sleep.