What is obstructive sleep apnea?
Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a serious sleep disorder characterized by repeated pauses in breathing. It occurs from obstruction of the upper airway which blocks normal airflow. As a result, the brain signals the muscles of the chest and diaphragm to open the airway, which can result in a loud gasping sound and lead to disrupted sleep.
What are the symptoms of sleep apnea?
One of the most telltale symptoms of obstructive sleep apnea is chronic snoring. Other signs to look for may include:
- Excessive daytime sleepiness (ESS)
- Pauses in breathing while asleep
- Choking or gasping during sleep
- Trouble concentrating
- Irregular heartbeat
- Sore throat
- High blood pressure
Diagnosis
Airway obstruction can be caused by varying factors such as the tongue or soft palate tissue. In order to identify whether you have obstructive sleep apnea, a diagnostic test called a home sleep study may be recommended.
What are the risks of leaving sleep apnea untreated?
Obstructive sleep apnea is a disorder with very significant and detrimental health concerns, including cardiovascular disease-related complications which can lead to early death if left untreated.
What Is The Sleep Profiler™?
The Sleep Profiler™ is an at-home assessment that evaluates sleep architecture to screen for possible breathing-related sleep disorders. Full disclosure signals are acquired from the device worn on your forehead and provide total time and percentage sleep, REM (rapid eye movement) sleep, SWS (slow-wave sleep), sleep efficiency, the total and average number of cortical, sympathetic and behavioral arousals, and the frequency and intensity of snoring.
Candidates For The Sleep Profiler™
If you have trouble sleeping through the night and suspect that you may be suffering from a sleep disorder, Dr. Marc Bowen may recommend the Sleep Profiler™ as an evaluation. Contact us to find out if you’re a good fit.
How Does The Sleep Profiler™ Work?
With the at-home Sleep Profiler™ you’ll be provided with a small device that you will wear overnight and may be asked to keep a sleep diary for the night. You will take the lightweight and easy-to-use device home and wear it around your head while you sleep. The Sleep Profiler™ will collect the data.
After your test, you will return the device to Dr. Bowen so he can interpret your results. You will then make a follow-up appointment to discuss your results with Dr. Bowen.
Advantages Of The Sleep Profiler™
Benefits of the Sleep Profiler™ include confirming the following:
- Total time and percent time by sleep stage
- Sleep, REM, and SWS latency
- Sleep efficiency
- Awakening index and Wake After Sleep Onset
- Differences in objective and subjective sleep quality
- Frequency and intensity of positional snoring
- Prescreening for home sleep study for sleep apnea
Dr. Marc Bowen is an NYC pulmonologist and sleep apnea specialist with over three decades of experience specializing in pulmonary medicine. We are dedicated to providing a personalized and convenient patient experience, offering the latest diagnostic tests and in-office procedures to help you return to your active lifestyle.
Schedule your consultation
If you chronically snore or are experiencing excessive daytime sleepiness or any other telltale symptoms of sleep apnea, please contact our office to schedule an evaluation with Dr. Bowen as soon as possible for sleep apnea testing and treatment. Dr. Bowen is an experienced pulmonologist who specializes in sleep apnea in NYC.
