Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a common but serious sleep disorder that occurs when the airway becomes blocked during sleep, either partially or completely, interrupting normal breathing. These pauses can happen many times a night, reducing oxygen levels and preventing you from getting the deep, restorative rest your body needs.

At her Carrollton practice, Dr. Tejal Kakade helps patients in Carrollton, Villa Rica, and surrounding communities identify the cause of their sleep apnea and find solutions to improve sleep quality, protect their health, and restore daytime energy.

What Causes Sleep Apnea?

When you’re awake, your throat muscles keep the airway open so air can pass freely into the lungs. During sleep, those muscles naturally relax. In people with sleep apnea, this relaxation, combined with other risk factors, can narrow or block the airway. Common causes include:

• Excessive relaxation of throat muscles and tongue during sleep
• Larger tongue or tonsils relative to airway size
• Excess weight placing pressure on the airway
• Certain anatomical traits, like smaller airway shape or structure
• Age-related changes in muscle tone and nerve signals

When the airway closes, airflow stops, blood oxygen drops, and the brain briefly wakes you to resume breathing often without you remembering it. This cycle repeats, fragmenting your sleep and straining your heart, brain, and overall health.

Sleep apnea doesn’t just make you tired, it can impact brain health and memory, too. Because it disrupts deep sleep, it may cause trouble concentrating, mood changes, and even raise the risk of dementia later in life. Treating sleep apnea can help protect your mind as well as your body.

Common Symptoms of Sleep Apnea

Sleep apnea can look different from person to person, but some warning signs are more common than others. You may be experiencing sleep apnea if you have:

• Excessive daytime sleepiness
• Loud, chronic snoring
• Morning headaches
• Difficulty focusing or remembering things
• Irritability, depression, or mood swings
• Waking up often to urinate
• Dry mouth or sore throat upon waking

Getting Relief

If you notice these symptoms in yourself or a loved one, it’s time to get evaluated. Dr. Kakade offers non-invasive treatments for snoring and mild-to-moderate sleep apnea, including custom-fitted oral appliances that reposition the jaw or tongue to keep the airway open at night. Many patients find this small device dramatically reduces or stops snoring and apnea episodes without the need for a CPAP machine.

Better sleep means better health, focus, and energy. Contact our office today to schedule your sleep apnea evaluation and take the first step toward waking up refreshed.