Shaquille O’Neal and Dr. Michael Moore

What do Shaquille O’Neal and Jacksonville dentist, Dr. Michael Moore have in common?

Of course both are talented and charismatic, but they have something else in common. Dr. Moore and Shaq are sufferers of sleep apnea. Snoring is not only annoying, it may be a sign of a very serious medical condition. Check yourself for these sleep apnea symptoms:

• Loud and chronic snoring
• Choking, snorting or gasping during sleep
• Long pauses in breathing
• Daytime sleepiness
• Waking up with dry mouth or sore throat
• Morning headaches
• Restless sleep
• Forgetfulness, difficulty concentrating
• Moodiness, irritablilty, depression

Sleep apnea occurs when the muscles in the back of your throat that support the soft palate, tonsils and tongue relax during sleep.  As a result, your airway narrows or closes as you breathe and breathing momentarily stops.  This deprives your body of oxygen and causes the brain to awaken you briefly so you can reopen your airway.  This pattern can repeat itself as much as 30 times an hour, all night long.  No wonder sleep apnea sufferers experience daytime sleepiness and inability to concentrate.  And there’s always the bonus of irritability for both you and your partner, since it’s safe to say they are not sleeping very well either!

It is important to remember that sleep apnea is a serious problem!  Sleep apnea sufferers have an elevated risk of being involved in a serious car accident. Sleep apnea is a more significant risk factor for heart disease than obesity and high cholesterol.  An 18 year study revealed that sleep apnea sufferers had a death rate nearly twice that of non sleep apneics!

Fortunately, there are more options than ever for sleep apnea treatment, including the development of oral appliances to replace or work with CPAP machines to keep airways open.   Dentists now work hand in hand with sleep specialists to determine a treatment plan to suit each individual.

Jacksonville dentist, Dr.Michael Moore, now offers a home sleep testing device which can easily screen you for sleep apnea. If you suspect you might be at risk, let Dr. Moore know. We can’t promise you’ll get into the NBA, but you will be on your way to maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

For more information, check out Shaq’s video about his experience with sleep apnea treatment: