Many people do not consider snoring to be a problem, but loud snoring and excessive daytime sleepiness may be symptoms of sleep apnea. When you have this common and possibly fatal disorder, your breathing will frequently stop while you sleep. These brief breathing pauses, which occur frequently during the night, are likely to be unnoticed by you. They may occur hundreds of times, disorienting you out of your regular sleep pattern.  It’s possible that you won’t feel as intellectually alert, active, or productive as usual during the day.
Patients should always be advised to seek treatment for their sleep apnea. If left untreated, the condition may result in a number of health problems. These include stroke, heart failure, diabetes, high blood pressure, and depression. Sleep apnea can be successfully treated with oral appliance therapy. The devices fit similarly to a mouthguard for sports and prevents the airway from collapsing by holding the tongue in place and/ or supporting the jaw forward.