Who is at risk of developing a sleep disorder?
Men suffer most often from non-restful sleep. In addition, according to both the National Institutes of Health and the American Academy of Family Practice, the rates of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and other airway-related sleep disorders are 2x-4x higher after the age of 50. Since the health of women and children may also be affected by sleep-disordered breathing problems, we urge anyone who does not wake in the morning feeling rested and relaxed after a full night’s sleep to discuss their sleep concerns with their family physician, a dentist with expertise in dental sleep medicine or another trusted health provider. More than 40 million Americans consult their physicians about sleep complaints each year, making sleep-related problems the THIRD most common complaint heard in the physician’s office (behind colds and headaches).
