I had known I was not getting a restful sleep for a while. I was waking tired and feeling drained throughout the day. My wife was nudging me regularly throughout the night to try to get me to stop snoring, and in doing so, she was getting more frustrated at her lack of sleep. She eventually found sanctuary in the spare bedroom. I would often wake up coughing and choking and put this down to the long-term effects of Covid rather than recognising it for the seriousness of what it was.
To try to understand what was happening, I downloaded the SnoreLab app to my iPhone to record my snoring at night. The app recorded my snoring and showed the severity on a graph. The average score for someone snoring is 25. My score was averaging around 130. I could see why my wife was so frustrated. This happened every night and had been progressively worsening over several years.
My next step was to take action. I turned to the internet and learned everything I could about what might be happening and how to get a better night’s sleep. I followed several suggested remedies, none of which made much difference, according to the app, which kept a watchful ear out for me throughout the night.
I had an idea of what might be causing this, and I knew the wait list for an NHS sleep assessment was several years in my area. I ordered a sleep test via a private provider to confirm what might be causing my poor sleep. The test kit arrived promptly and involved wearing a watch-style monitor, a blood oxygen sensor on my finger, and another sensor taped to my chest. This was all linked to an app on my iPhone.
The following morning, the test data was automatically transmitted to the sleep lab, and a couple of days later, I received a comprehensive report confirming that I had obstructive sleep apnoea. I stopped breathing in my sleep up to 15 times an hour, and the coughing and choking was my body waking me to get me to breathe again. No wonder I was so tired during the day. I was provided with two recommendations: start using a CPAP machine or try to keep my airways open with an oral sleep appliance.
During my first appointment with Dr. Chatoo, we discussed what was happening and how it affected me at night and during the day. I completed a sleep assessment and lifestyle questionnaire. From the information provided, Dr Chatoo explained what was likely to be happening and how the collapse of my airways when I was sleeping caused me to stop breathing. We discussed several solutions, including using an oral sleep appliance to advance my lower jaw forward to keep my airway open at night.
This seemed to be the best approach, so in the second part of the appointment, I had my teeth scanned, and various other measurements were taken to record how far my lower jaw needed to be advanced to keep my airway open when sleeping.
We discussed the wide range of oral sleep appliances available at the Clinic and the merits of each one. I decided on the Somnowell oral sleep appliance because we both felt it offered the best solution for my obstructive sleep apnea.
My Somnowell oral sleep appliance was made quickly, and I returned to the Clinic to have it fitted. The appliance was exceptionally well made and fitted very snugly without any adjustment.
Dr Chatoo checked that the appliance was advancing my lower jaw by the right amount and spent time explaining how the oral sleep appliance worked and how to adapt to wearing it at night.
The appliance consisted of a top and bottom section attached to my upper and lower teeth and some extendable bars at the side that connected my teeth and prevented my lower jaw from falling back as I slept.
Wearing the appliance, I could easily open and close my mouth, move my jaw from side to side, and speak clearly. The only thing I could not do was pull my lower jaw back. By holding my lower jaw forward, the appliance helped keep my tongue and soft tissues from falling back and closing my airways.
Dr Chatoo spent plenty of time answering my questions and ensured I understood that it would take a little time to get used to the oral sleep appliance but that I should wear it every night until it became a habit.
I have worn it every night for over a month and found it very comfortable. It clips in and out easily but feels secure when worn. There were a few nights when I first started wearing it when I had minor aches in my lower jaw, but that was to be expected, given that the appliance kept my lower jaw forward beyond where it would naturally rest.
I’m now waking up more refreshed, not snoring, and seeing huge improvements during the day. I have more energy, and I have found a solution to my obstructive sleep apnoea that works for me.
I recommend speaking to Dr Chatoo and the team at the Clinic if you are concerned about the quality of your sleep and feel an oral sleep appliance may help you get a better night’s sleep.
