If you wake up feeling exhausted despite a full night’s sleep, Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) may be to blame. OSA occurs when the upper airway repeatedly collapses during sleep, causing temporary pauses in breathing. These interruptions prevent your body from reaching deep, restorative sleep stages.
OSA is one of the most common sleep disorders in the United States, yet millions of people go undiagnosed for years. If you’ve been told you snore loudly, or if you wake up with headaches, dry mouth, or feel foggy throughout the day, it’s worth talking to a sleep specialist.
This information is for educational purposes and does not replace medical advice. Consult with Dr. Tovar-Torres to determine the most appropriate treatment for your specific situation.
Not everyone with sleep apnea snores loudly, and not everyone who snores has sleep apnea. The only way to know for certain is a proper sleep evaluation. Many patients are surprised to learn they have OSA , especially women, who often experience more subtle symptoms like fatigue, insomnia, or mood changes rather than the classic loud snoring.
Left untreated, obstructive sleep apnea can lead to serious health risks such as high blood pressure, heart disease, and an increased risk of stroke. Fortunately, effective treatments are available to help restore healthy breathing patterns and improve your sleep quality.
Diagnosing obstructive sleep apnea starts with a thorough evaluation of your sleep history, symptoms, and overall health. Dr. Tovar-Torres will review your medical background and discuss what you’ve been experiencing before recommending the right type of sleep study for you.
For most patients with suspected obstructive sleep apnea, a home sleep test (HST) is the most convenient and comfortable way to get answers. You’ll wear a small, lightweight device overnight in your own bed. The device monitors your breathing patterns, oxygen levels, heart rate, and body position while you sleep.
A minimum recording time of four hours is required, and results from a single night are typically sufficient. If the initial results are inconclusive, a second night of testing may be recommended.
Home sleep testing is accurate, covered by most insurance plans for qualifying patients, and eliminates the need to sleep in an unfamiliar lab setting.
At Sleep Health & Wellness, we stay at the forefront of sleep apnea treatment. Not every patient is the same, and not every treatment works the same way for everyone. Dr. Tovar-Torres takes time to understand your specific situation before recommending a treatment plan designed around you.
Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) therapy remains the most widely used and highly effective first-line treatment for moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea. A CPAP machine delivers a constant stream of air through a mask worn during sleep, keeping the airway open and breathing uninterrupted.
Many patients find that with the right mask fit and settings, CPAP becomes easy to tolerate and makes a dramatic difference in how they feel. For patients who have had difficulty with CPAP in the past, there are alternatives worth exploring.
Inspire therapy is a breakthrough treatment for obstructive sleep apnea that works from inside the body. A small device is implanted during a short outpatient procedure. Each night before bed, you activate the device with a small remote. While you sleep, it delivers mild stimulation to the hypoglossal nerve, which controls the tongue and upper airway muscles, keeping your airway open throughout the night.
Inspire is FDA-approved and may be an excellent option for patients who have not been able to tolerate CPAP therapy. Not everyone is a candidate — Dr. Tovar-Torres can evaluate whether you may qualify.
For patients with mild to moderate sleep apnea, or those who cannot tolerate CPAP, a custom-fitted oral appliance can be an effective alternative. These mouthguard-like devices reposition the jaw and tongue to keep the airway open during sleep. We coordinate care with qualified dental providers to help you access this treatment option.
Excess weight is one of the most significant modifiable risk factors for OSA. For some patients, weight loss can substantially reduce or even resolve sleep apnea symptoms. We support patients in understanding how lifestyle factors — including sleep position, alcohol use, and exercise — can affect their sleep apnea.
Obstructive sleep apnea is a sleep disorder in which the muscles at the back of the throat relax and block the airway repeatedly during sleep. Each time this happens, your brain briefly wakes you to reopen the airway. These interruptions, which can occur dozens or even hundreds of times per night, fragment your sleep and prevent your body from getting the deep, restorative rest it needs.
The most recognizable symptoms include loud snoring, gasping or choking during sleep, and excessive daytime sleepiness. However, many people with OSA experience subtler signs like waking with headaches, dry mouth, difficulty concentrating, irritability, or frequent nighttime urination. Women in particular may experience insomnia or depression rather than classic snoring.
Once your sleep study data is collected and analyzed, you’ll have a follow-up appointment with Dr. Tovar-Torres to review your results. If you’re diagnosed with sleep apnea, she’ll discuss treatment options with you and help develop a plan that fits your health needs, lifestyle, and preferences.
