If you have trouble catching ZZZs, don’t pass it off as nothing. Sleeping disorders are much more common than you might think, especially sleep apnea. “Researchers estimate that as many as 80 percent of apnea sufferers are not currently diagnosed,” says Ted Merriam, manager of Lakeland Health Services in Plymouth. The company has been diagnosing and treating myriad sleep disorders since 2002, but in most cases, the culprit is apnea. Daytime sleepiness, morning headaches and snoring are common symptoms of the disorder.
According to Lakeland’s Susan Soffa, treatment processes are hugely individual. Options include oral appliances, weight loss and corrective surgery. The gold standard, however, is CPAP therapy: Using air pressure to keep the user’s airway open while sleeping.
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Lakeland Health Services, 10600 Old County Rd. 15; 763.512.1551; lhssleep.com