Health-conscious young professionals are setting a new trend: they optimize their sleep in order to become more productive. The focus is on the quality of sleep, because only healthy sleep allows us to wake up refreshed in the morning, so that we are productive and mentally strong. But what if a sleep-related breathing disorder prevents just that?
Identify sleep apnea
It is now considered a widespread disease – obstructive sleep apnea. An estimated half a billion people worldwide are affected by this form of pathological snoring.
When does snoring become pathological?
Obstructive sleep apnea affects people who snore so heavily that their breathing is completely interrupted at times. In sleep medicine, pathological snoring is differentiated from simple snoring based on the number of breathing pauses. From a number of 5 longer breathing pauses per hour of sleep one speaks of pathological snoring.
How do breathing pauses occur?
The problem occurs with inhalation while we sleep. Basically, the muscle tension in the throat is lower in all of us during sleep than during the day. In some people, however, the tissue becomes very slack and sinks backwards, sometimes the tongue also sags when it is relaxed. This blocks the upper airways and causes a blockage (obstruction) - hence the term obstructive sleep apnea.
How does obstructive sleep apnea manifest itself?
Breathing pauses follow in each case. The person affected does not wake up completely, but is startled and has to gasp for air. It is an emergency response of the body. The brain processes the warning signals that the breathing pauses are causing the oxygen levels in the blood to begin to fall.
If you consider that the breathing pauses sometimes last 10 seconds, you can imagine the health-threatening extent of pathological snoring.
A permanent lack of oxygen does not result from this, after all, the body reacts accordingly. But the valuable deep sleep phases are significantly disturbed and can hardly take place in severe cases.
The result is pronounced daytime sleepiness, the most obvious symptom of obstructive sleep apnea. And tiredness is not only an obstacle to productivity, but also leads to an increased risk of accidents in everyday life, which is often discussed in connection with pathological snoring.
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treat sleep apnea
Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome is a serious condition and should be treated to avoid complications such as cardiovascular problems.
CPAP mask as standard therapy
If obstructive sleep apnea is suspected, the definitive diagnosis will be made by a doctor qualified in sleep medicine. At this point, the sufferer has already had several nights spent with polysomnography devices at their side. The sleep medicine specialist will initiate therapy and will most likely prescribe a CPAP mask.
Since many people breathe through their mouth at night, a CPAP full face mask prescribed. This type of mask is also called a mouth-nose mask because the mask covers both the nose and the mouth. A full face or mouth-nose mask has the advantage that ventilation works well even with a blocked nose or permanently restricted nasal breathing. In addition, the full face mask also withstands the high ventilation pressure required in cases of severe sleep apnea.
Experienced mask wearers have often tried different types of masks before committing to one. Some wearers of full face masks would like to switch to a nose mask that does not cover the face as extensively, which can be more comfortable in terms of wearing comfort. But it always depends on the individual case. If you move a lot while sleeping, a nose mask tends to slip. Users also report feeling like they are not getting enough air with their nasal mask. However, what counts for many is the fact that a nose mask causes less claustrophobia than a full face mask. But all CPAP masks basically require a certain tolerance to the oppressive feeling of having an uncomfortable device on your face.
snoring splints
Some CPAP users report that they have a hard time falling asleep with a mask. It is not uncommon for the treatment to be stopped completely because the mask is perceived as too annoying. Others do not feel able to carry out CPAP therapy at all from the outset. Fortunately, there is a second treatment option that can be reimbursed by the statutory health insurance companies in the exclusion process.
It is now accepted among experts that snoring devices are almost as effective as CPAP therapy. At least in the case of mild to moderate sleep apnea, snoring devices are considered to be of equal effectiveness and can be used as an alternative. In the case of severe sleep apnea, the effectiveness is not equivalent, but a snoring device is at least "better than nothing" in these cases.
Handling is comparatively easy and the tool is manageably small. The splint consists of two plastic parts that are placed in the mouth and worn on the rows of teeth. The lower part of the rail moves forward a little. The positioning of the lower jaw in relation to the upper jaw is only slightly changed, but this is enough to create more space in the throat. The muscles at the base of the tongue are also put under tension so that the tissue has fewer opportunities to vibrate. There are different types and designs of snoring splints. If you buy the splint from a retailer, the price also plays a role in the decision for a splint. Because the splint is not always paid for by the health insurance company.
Reimbursement by health insurance
In order to get a snoring splint from the statutory health insurance company, the treatment must be accompanied by a doctor who is qualified in sleep medicine and has the appropriate authorization. A splint is only reimbursable if CPAP therapy (overpressure therapy) cannot be carried out successfully. What arguments are necessary and why there is still a long way to go to an individual track, this useful information on the subject Snoring splint health insurance give experienced snoring therapy specialists.
If a snoring splint comes into question, it is advisable to first purchase a cheap splint in the trade for test purposes. It should also be noted that dental problems (especially missing teeth) can be an obstacle.
The great advantage of the snoring splints is their inconspicuousness. In the best case, you are not alone in bed! Especially when you meet someone new as a snorer, understandably you don't want to scare off your new partner by snoring, nor do you want to disclose all your health problems to him or her. So it's better to sell the snoring splint to the ignorant loved one as a crunching splint. Then there is a high probability of staying on cloud nine.