Have you ever wondered why some people snore, and others don’t?
When we breathe, air travels down the throat through the windpipe and into the lungs. The narrowest part of that pathway is in the back of our throat. While we’re asleep, muscles in our throat relax and this pathway narrows even more. Air passing through can sometimes cause the throat to vibrate and make an audible noise – hence why we snore.
For people with sleep apnea, the throat closes so much while we’re asleep that we don’t get enough airflow to the lungs. Our brain gets a message to wake up and activate the throat muscles so that enough air gets through. As a result, we wake up hundreds of times throughout the night and never get the deep, restful sleep we need.
Symptoms of sleep apnea differ from person to person. They may include loud snoring, exhaustion upon waking, morning headaches, dry mouth, trouble focusing during the day, and mood and behavior changes such as irritability.
If this sounds like you, it may be time to schedule an appointment with a sleep apnea expert. MediFind shares 10 sleep apnea experts near Chicago, IL, below.
Dr. Babak B. Mokhlesi
Pulmonary Medicine | Intensive Care Medicine | Sleep Medicine
Rush University Medical Center
17224 W. Harrison St., Chicago, IL
Accepting New Patients
Dr. Bharati S. Prasad
Sleep Medicine | Pulmonary Medicine | Intensive Care Medicine
The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois
1855 W. Taylor St., Chicago, IL
Dr. Phyllis C. Zee
Sleep Medicine | Neurology
Northwestern Medical Faculty Foundation
676 N. Saint Clair St., Chicago, IL
Dr. Hrayr P. Attarian
Sleep Medicine | Neurology
Northwestern Medical Faculty Foundation
676 N. Saint Clair St., Chicago, IL
Dr. James J. Herdegen
Pulmonary Medicine | Intensive Care Medicine
Rush University Medical Center
1653 W. Congress Pkwy, Chicago, IL
Dr. Phillip S. Losavio
Otolaryngology
The University of Chicago Medical Center
5841 S. Maryland Ave., Chicago, IL
Accepting New Patients
Dr. Sushmita Pamidi
Sleep Medicine
5841 S. Maryland Ave. #Mc1052, Chicago, IL
Dr. James A. Rowley
Sleep Medicine | Pulmonary Medicine | Intensive Care Medicine
Rush University Medical Center
1725 W. Harrison St., Chicago, IL
Accepting New Patients
Dr. Amy S. Guralnick
Sleep Medicine | Pulmonary Medicine
5841 S. Maryland Ave., Chicago, IL
Accepting New Patients
Dr. Alejandra C. Lastra
Pulmonary Medicine | Intensive Care Medicine | Sleep Medicine
The University of Chicago Medical Center
5841 S. Maryland Ave., Chicago, IL
Get a better night’s sleep in 5 easy steps
Getting a good night’s sleep is just as important for our health as regular exercise and a healthy diet. But that’s easier said than done when you’re living with a medical condition like sleep apnea that causes breathing disturbances while you sleep.
Fortunately, there are things you can do – that are within your control – to help improve the quality of your sleep.
- Stick to a consistent sleep schedule. Plan on waking up and going to bed at the same time each day, including during the weekends.
- Pay attention to what you eat and drink. Don’t go to bed hungry or stuffed. Try to avoid consuming caffeine or alcohol late in the day.
- Manage your light exposure. The body’s internal clock is regulated by light exposure. Increase exposure to sunlight during the day, and limit blue-light emitting screens at night.
- Keep your stress levels in check. Stress activates the body’s fight-or-flight response and releases hormones that work against sleep. Deep breathing and meditation might help.
- Create a soothing bedtime routine. Nightly rituals like reading a book or sipping herbal tea before can send signals to the brain that it’s time for your body to get into sleep mode.
MediFind makes it easy to find sleep apnea experts
If you think you might have sleep apnea, you’re in good company. According to the American Medical Association, about 30 million people in the United States have sleep apnea, but only 6 million have been diagnosed and are finally getting the care and treatment they need.
That’s where MediFind comes in. MediFind is a first-of-its-kind website that collects and shares detailed information about doctors and health conditions from dozens of credible medical sources.
This allows MediFind to identify which medical professionals are the leaders in their field in any given city. With a growing list of over 3.5 million doctors worldwide, MediFind makes it easy to find sleep apnea experts in Chicago.