Issue 19.16
You may be spending seven or eight hours a night in bed, but how’s the quality of your sleep? That question was recently put forth to several Americans by the National Sleep Foundation, and the answers may surprise you.
The foundation found that Americans said they slept an average of seven hours and 35 minutes a night (also, the average person went to bed at 10:55 p.m. and woke at 6:38 a.m. on work days, and slept about 40 minutes longer on non-workdays or weekends). But, here’s where the survey gets interesting. Thirty-five percent of Americans called their sleep quality “poor” or “only fair,” and 20 percent said they did not wake up feeling refreshed during the past week.
The survey also showed that men are more likely to snore, and women are more likely to report insomnia symptoms. (Another striking result was that 24 percent of women said they haven’t felt well rested during the past seven days, compared with 16 percent of men—in spite of reporting similar sleep times.) These revelations support previous studies that showed that women are more commonly diagnosed with insomnia, while men are more commonly diagnosed with sleep apnea. (Other research indicates that 25 percent of adults have sleep apnea.)
Premier Sleep Solutions specializes in treating patients suffering from sleep apnea by fitting them with custom-made oral appliances. These appliances, which are similar to bleach trays in appearance, can often be used in place of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machines. While CPAP machines have been used for years, recent research has shown that in many cases, custom-made oral appliances can be as effective as CPAP in treating sleep apnea. Plus, many patients find CPAP machines to be so cumbersome that they eventually refuse to use them regularly, and as a result, their overall health suffers.
Most insurance companies now cover oral appliance therapy and the oral appliances. Medicare is leading the way relative to standard of care within the industry.
For a limited time, Premier Sleep Solutions in St. George is offering free sleep consultations. This is normally a $200 value.
For more information about oral appliances or to schedule a patient consultation, please contact Premier Sleep Solutions at (435) 319-0478 or visit www.premiersleepsolutions.com. Premier Sleep Solutions has offices in St. George and Salt Lake City. The St. George office is located at 75 South 100 East, #1E, St. George, UT 84770.
Dr. Shad Morris, DMD, is a member of the American Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine, the only certified diplomate of the American Academy of Sleep and Breathing in Southern Utah, and CEO of Premier Sleep Solutions LLC.