If you constantly feel exhausted, experience headaches for no obvious reason or have high blood pressure, it could be the result of snoring.
More than a simple annoyance, snoring is also the most common symptom of a potentially serious health problem—obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).
Over 18 million Americans snore, and it’s related to OSA. People who suffer from OSA repeatedly and unknowingly stop breathing during the night due to a complete or partial obstruction of their airway. It occurs when the jaw, throat, and tongue muscles relax, blocking the airway used to breathe. The resulting lack of oxygen can last for a minute or longer, and occur hundreds of times each night.
OSA has been linked to:
- Acid reflux
- Frequent nighttime urination
- Stroke
- Depression
- Diabetes
- Heart attack
OSA can be expensive to diagnosis and treat — up to $5,000 — and those treatments can sometimes be quite painful. Plus, they’re not always covered by insurance.
However, a study published by Eastern Virginia Medical School’s Division of Sleep Medicine concluded that wearing a simple chinstrap while sleeping can be an effective treatment for OSA.
Without chinstrap (mouth open). Notice narrow anterior to posterior
airway space as a result of the tongue base and the posteriorly
positioned epiglottis.
With chinstrap (mouth closed). Notice significant improvement of
the posterior airway space with the tongue base and epiglottis rotated
forward.
The chin strap, which is now available from a company called Stop Snoring Today, works by supporting the lower jaw and tongue, preventing obstruction of the airway
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