What to Do if you Feel Sleepy during the Daytime
Snoring can sometimes be a symptom of Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA), a serious sleep disorder that takes a toll on the physical as well as mental well being of the affected person. People who snore loudly at night feel sleepy during the day, but a sleep study is necessary to confirm whether a snorer suffers from OSA.
Sleep study for OSA involves monitoring one’s breathing patterns, blood levels and oxygen levels. This is generally done with the use of a specialized equipment on a subject in the assumption that he or she who feels sleepy during the daytime has OSA. If the study reveals the person subjected to it has the sleep disorder, then various snoring remedies are tried to improve his or her sleep quality.
A remedy or a combination of remedies for Obstructive Sleep Apnea is recommended to a person only based on the study’s results or severity of the sleep disorder. The main treatment option for mild to moderate apnea is an oral appliance. The type of oral device could also be helpful in dealing with the underlying reason behind snoring and sleep apnea.
For instance, if you were snoring due to a receding lower jaw or partial breathing obstructions in the upper throat, then a mouthpiece for sleep apnea will work to free the airway and allow proper breathing during the nighttime. Such a Mandibular Advancement Device (MAD), as it is technically known, is a clinically proven and non-invasive remedy for snoring, which sleep specialists recommend for mild to moderate apnea too.
To bring about better results in the oral appliance therapy, doctors may also suggest conservative treatment options like sleeping on the sides, reducing weight, avoiding alcohol before a few hours of bedtime, and any other lifestyle changes. Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) therapy can be helpful too but it is usually used to treat more severe cases of OSA. In other words, that is recommended for people who snore loudly as an apnea symptom.
Sometimes, a combination of MAD and CPAP is also used to treat the sleep disorder. However, not all people who snore suffer from OSA. Besides, there could be other reasons for feeling drowsy at an inappropriate time of the day as well. In fact, it all starts with proper diagnosis, so if you feel sleepy and drowsy during the daytime very often, consult with a sleep specialist as soon as possible to figure out what is causing it, and how to deal with it.