• Are you a loud, habitual snorer?
• Has your sleeping partner ever witnessed you choking, gasping, or holding your breath during sleep?
• Do you regularly feel un-refreshed, even after waking from 8 or more hours of sleep?
• Do you find yourself falling asleep easily throughout your day at home or at work?
• Do you often suffer from poor concentration or judgment, memory loss, irritability, and/or depression?
• Are you 15 pounds over the normal weight range for your height and/or does your neck measure more than 17 inches if you are male or 16 inches if you are female?

If the answer to these questions is yes, you may have Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA). The risks of undiagnosed OSA include heart attacks, strokes, impotence, irregular heartbeat, high blood pressure, and heart disease. In addition, it can cause daytime sleepiness that results in accidents, lost productivity, depression, and problems in your relationships with others.

Although simple treatment options are available, a proper diagnosis is the first step. While your responses to the above questions do not provide a diagnosis, they will serve as important signs and symptoms your dentist and physician may use to make a diagnosis.

The simple action of discussing these factors with your dentist or physician could save your life!