Looking back now I realize that I must have been suffering from sleep related problems for about the past 10 years. Most nights I would suddenly awake with an elevated heart rate somewhere between 3 and 4:30. I would then have difficulty falling back asleep until my system calmed down. Then when it came time to wake up for work or whatever, I didn't feel at all rested. I often would be drowsy during the day.
My physician thought my sleep interruptions could be anxiety related. It didn't occur to me or anyone else that I might be suffering from Sleep Apnea because I didn't fit what the typical profile. I am a thinly built person of average weight and in mostly excellent health. After doing some research and speaking with my Physician and then Dr. Chenet, I elected to undergo an overnight sleep study to try to determine if I had a sleep disorder.
The study showed that my blood oxygen levels would dip during the night which then caused my heart to work harder to compensate for this and this in turn cause me to suddenly wake with the elevated heart rate. Dr. Chenet then arranged for me to have a follow up consultation with a Sleep Apnea specialist. It was pointed out that I have a short chin and a narrow neck and these factors can cause a slight obstruction to occur in breathing, especially when sleeping. This was probably leading to my system not getting the amount of oxygen it needed. They and Dr. Chenet felt that I would be a good candidate for an oral appliance to wear during the night which would reposition my lower jaw thus reducing the obstruction to my airway.
I've been wearing the appliance for a little over 2 months and I'm happy to say that I am now sleeping like a baby. My wife can attest to how quietly I am sleeping as there is no snoring or the other sounds of sleep disruption. As a consequence she is also getting more sleep. I feel well rested in the mornings and feel so much better knowing what the problem was and taking the steps to correct it. If you are having sleep issues I highly recommend that you work with Dr Chenet and the sleep clinic to determine what
the problem may be and to take the steps needed to resolve it.
Thank you,
Dennis P.