Do You Need a New Bed or a Sleep Physician?

As a sleep physician we see the commercials on television advertising new beds and the best sleep ever.  These commercials can make you want to run to the mattress store, especially if you are constantly waking up tired.  If your mattress is really old or full of lumps, this might help with your back pain. However, if you are constantly fatigued after sleeping seven or more hours, it is highly likely that you are suffering from obstructive sleep apnea.  This is a condition that cannot be helped by a new mattress.

Signs you need a new mattress:

• Your mattress is no longer smooth.
• You can feel the coils.
• Your back and shoulders feel sore when you wake up in the morning.
• Your hips hurt.

Signs you should see a sleep physician:

• You wake up feeling tired.
• You have problems staying awake during the day.
• Monotonous activities like driving can make you drowsy.
• You snore or choke in your sleep.
• You need more and more sleep every night.

When you schedule an appointment with our Athens clinic, we will review the symptoms you are having and may suggest a sleep study.  In many cases, the lack of energy and constant fatigue is caused by obstructive sleep apnea.  This condition is generally caused by the lower jaw falling backwards during sleep.  As it does, the tongue also falls backwards and blocks the airway.  This causes your body to respond by choking or snoring in order to get the tongue to move so that you can breathe clearly.  Since you are not receiving the oxygen that you need, your vital organs, muscles, etc. are deprived of oxygen and cannot function at top capacity.  Fatigue is a natural side effect and typically the most noticeable though you may also feel weaker in general and have a compromised immune system.

 As a sleep specialist, we are experienced in treating all sleep disorders, including sleep apnea and narcolepsy.