The complexity of sleep is incredible. We tend to think of sleep as a rejuvenating event but it affects our mood, concentration, energy, memory, sharpness, reflexes, libido and self-regulatory abilities. People with sleep issues can get desperate for a solution and often pursue a litany of solutions; hypnosis, herbal treatments, meditation, special pillows and mattresses – just to name a few! While each of these may have merit in select cases, a great place in the quest for quality sleep is with a thorough exam of the airway. In fact, a well-trained ENT doctor can gain substantive clues about a person’s ability to properly breath during sleep with a simple audio recording of their sleep time breathing.
For children, the implications of poor sleep go well beyond those of adults. For instance, an inability to complete all of the sleep cycles can inhibit or delay growth. At Wagner ENT we have experienced numerous cases of undersized children having huge growth spurts on the heels of the removal of their enlarged tonsils and adenoids. Similarly, children with ADHD have often seen a significant reduction in their symptoms after tonsil and adenoid removal because they are better able to concentrate and control their behavior when they have proper sleep. Hints that a child might have poor sleep quality are chapped lips, dry mouth (thirsty), migratory sleep (hopping from bed to bed), sleepwalking, sleep talking, nightmares, and bedwetting.
Adults are often unaware that their sleep is poor because they can’t see or hear themselves but bed partners are usually extremely conscious of the problem. In fact, one person having poor quality can often lead to another not getting proper sleep too. Problems with apnea (more than a 15 second delay in breath) or snoring are fairly obvious and often correctable problems. Sometimes though the problems are less obvious. For instance, people with hyponea breath in a normal cadence but get too little volume of air and their blood oxygen level falls and the normal sleep patterns becomes unattainable.
At Wagner ENT we understand the importance of sleep and with over 20 years of experience we have been able to help numerous patients find better health and higher quality of life by giving them a solution to their sleep issues. If you, your spouse or one of your children is exhibiting signs of poor sleep, please contact us for a thorough examination of your airway.