You Snore. Your Bed Partner says you keep him/her up all night. How bad do you really snore?
Take this snore score test from the AWAKE group and see how you rate with other snorers.
Test and Information found below from http://www.sleepapnea.org/resources/pubs/snorescore.html.

WHAT’S YOUR SNORE SCORE?
Your answers to this quiz will help you decide whether you may suffer from sleep apnea:

Are you a loud and/or regular snorer?
 Yes  No

Have you ever been observed to gasp or stop breathing during sleep?
 Yes  No

Do you feel tired or groggy upon awakening, or do you awaken with a headache?
 Yes  No

Are you often tired or fatigued during the wake time hours?
 Yes  No

Do you fall asleep sitting, reading, watching TV or driving?
 Yes  No

Do you often have problems with memory or concentration?
 Yes  No

If you have one or more of these symptoms you are at higher risk for having obstructive sleep apnea. If you are also overweight, have a large neck, and/or have high blood pressure the risk increases even further.

If you or someone close to you answers “yes” to any of the above questions, you should discuss your symptoms with your physician or a sleep specialist. Or ask the American Sleep Apnea Association for more information on the diagnosis and treatment of sleep apnea. Different treatment options exist; which is right for you depends upon the severity of your apnea and other aspects of the disorder. Talk to your doctor about choices. Untreated, obstructive sleep apnea can be extremely serious and cannot be ignored.

Dr. Lydia Sosenko, of Dental Sleep Medicine of Illinois, can help you choose Oral Appliance Therapy as a treatment option for your snoring and sleep apnea. Visit www.TiredofSnoring.com for more information or call our Naperville Sleep Office, 1-800-SNORING, to schedule your consultation and to sleep!

Let Sleep Work for You | National Sleep Foundation – Information on Sleep Health and SafetyPosted using ShareThis

Lack of Sleep and Health Problems | National Sleep Foundation – Information on Sleep Health and SafetyPosted using ShareThis

As you leave our office, following a visit, our patient coordinator – Rosa – might have asked you if you would be interested in letting us know about your visit. We would then send you an email with a link to our review site.

A review takes about 30 seconds to complete – Here’s one of my latest that I’d like to share with you:

User Rating: 5.00

01/27/2010
Title: Sleep Apnea — No Problem

Review:
” It´s been over 2 years since I went for my first appointment about sleep apnea and getting an oral appliance. One of the best things I ever did — just ask my wife — no more cpap machine and no more snoring. Dr. Sosenko and staff have been great and I highly recommend her practice to anyone that has sleep apnea and looking for an alternative to the cpap machine.”

We would love to hear from all of our patients. Would you like to take 30 seconds and let us know your comments? Follow this link:

http://shermanoaksdental.thereviewbook.com/review.php

At Dental Sleep Medicine of Illinois, our goal is to help our patients sleep CPAP-free with Oral Appliance Therapy.
~comfortable
~convenient
~FDA approved
~Physician Recommended
~EFFECTIVE

So effective, my mother’s physician just let me know how much he loves his Oral Appliance! Call our office today and we can help you, too.
630 369-5508 or 1-800-SNORING in Northern Illinois.

Dr. Lydia Sosenko, D.D.S., D.ABDSM for Dental Sleep Medicine of Illinois

Fact #2: Oral Appliance Therapy (OAT is) covered by most Medical Insurance, with the exception of Medicare and Medicaid. Most medical insurance policies will cover the Oral Appliance when Obstructive Sleep Apnea is diagnosed by a medical professional.

In the case of simple snoring, most policies do not currently pay for the Oral Appliance. However, there is no question that for a snorer, the OA is the best investment he/she can make in his/her health and domestic tranquility.

Our office staff will gladly file reimbursement claims for our patients. If you are not sure if your insurance will cover your Oral Appliance, we will help you send a pre-estimate to address you financial concerns.

Our office also offers alternative Financial Assistance.

Our goal, at Dental Sleep Medicine of Illinois, is not to let expense prevent you from benefiting from the quality of care you desire and need. When the treatment needed exceeds your budget, our financial coordinator can assist you in making alternative arrangements. We offer in office payment plans and third party financing companies. Care Credit is available to all qualifying patients. It takes less than 5 minutes to be approved on-line, while you are at our office or your home. Care Credit is interest free for 12 months, allowing our patients to set up a convienent payment plan to meet their individual needs.

Call our office today, 1-800-SNORING (in Northern Illinois), 630 369-5508. We’re located less than 5 minutes from I-88, just off Ogden Avenue, between Washington St. and Naper Blvd. Our friendly staff would love to help you get the sleep you need tonight!

Everyday, we receive calls to our office regarding many oral appliance myths. In the next few blogs, we would like to give you the facts on the 5 most common myths we hear.

MYTH
#1 Oral Appliances are too Expensive.

FACT
#1 Professional oral appliances are custom-made mouthpieces, FDA approved, and
last for years. Fees include all Doctor Treatments up to release date. Oral
Appliance costs are comparable to CPAP.

In fact, most medical insurance covers Oral Appliance Therapy, with the exception of Medicare and Medicaid.

Dr. Lydia Sosenko is familiar with over 20 oral appliances(OA’s). OA’s may be used alone or in combination with other means of treating sleep apnea, such as weight management, surgery and CPAP. There is no one particular appliance that will work for every patient.

As a specially trained dentist in the treatment of OSA and oral appliance therapy, Dr. Sosenko considers many factors before choosing which appliance may be best suited for each individual. After your PCP or sleep physician confirms your diagnosis and decides that you are a candidate for OAT, Dr. Sosenko begins with a very comprehensive examination of your oral cavity. Along with evaluating your PSG results, she discusses lifestyle factors and sleeping habits such as:

Manual dexterity
Travel destinations (3rd world countries, etc.)
Preferred sleep positions
Oral cavity restrictions (anatomical structures)

Would you like more information on Oral Appliance Therapy and treating your sleep apnea?
Call our office today, 1-800-SNORING – or visit our website, www.tiredofsnoring.com.

Do you think you may be Suffering From Sleep Apnea?
Here are some of the most common signs and symptoms:

Loud Snoring
Frequent cessation of breathing during sleep,
Choking, gasping or gagging during sleep to get air into your lungs,
Waking up sweating during the night,
Feeling un-refreshed in the morning after a nighttime’s sleep
Daytime sleepiness, lethargy
Headaches upon waking
Erectile Dysfunction
Rapid weight gain
Gerd Gastric Reflux
Memory loss and learning difficulties
Short attention span
Personality changes, such as depression, constant frustration, and much more
High risk of high blood Pressure, Heart Attack, Stroke

Don’t wait any longer. Schedule an appointment today, right now, with your Primary Care Physician. Let him or her know your concerns with your sleep problems. Talk with your PCP about your options. Don’t delay.

Call my office, 1-800-SNORING, if you have any questions or concerns. Get the sleep you need and treat your sleep apnea and/or snoring.

There are over 20 million adults in the United State suffering unceseccarily for Obstructive Sleep Apnea, a potentially life-threatening condition. Sleep apnea is a treatable disorder. Dental Sleep Medicine of Illinois can help you get ready for a Good Night’s Sleep!

Our bodies need sleep to recover from our day’s activities, to recuperate for tomorrow. Most people do not get the sleep they need.

Do you think you have a sleeping disorder? Disclaimer: This sleep test is not intended as medical advice. If you think you may have a sleep disorder, contact Dr. Sosenko or your primary care physician, regardless of the results of this test .
1. Do you snore heavily?
2. Have you been told you have long lapses between breaths while you sleep?
3. Do you have high blood pressure?
4. Do you have difficulty falling asleep?
5. Do you fall asleep when reading, watching TV or during other passive activities?
6. Do you wake up with a choking or gasping sensation?
7. Do you wake up feeling tired or fatigued?
8. Do you experience unusual behaviors just before, during, or after sleep?
9. Does your bed partner complain of loud snoring, leg twitching, or kicking at night?
10. Do you wake frequently or have difficult time falling back to sleep?
11. Do you fight sleepiness on the job or when driving?

If you have answered “yes” to two or more of these questions, you might be at risk for a sleep disorder. Discuss your symptoms and concerns with your doctor.

Exactly how much sleep do people need? Unfortunately there is no “Magic Number”. Excerpt from, http://www.sleepfoundation.org/how-much-sleep-do-we-really-need, “researchers are learning about: a person’s basal sleep need – the amount of sleep our bodies need on a regular basis for optimal performance – and sleep debt, the accumulated sleep that is lost to poor sleep habits, sickness, awakenings due to environmental factors or other causes. Two studies suggest that healthy adults have a basal sleep need of seven to eight hours every night, but where things get complicated is the interaction between the basal need and sleep debt. For instance, you might meet your basal sleep need on any single night or a few nights in a row, but still have an unresolved sleep debt that may make you feel more sleepy and less alert at times, particularly in conjunction with circadian dips, those times in the 24-hour cycle when we are biologically programmed to be more sleepy and less alert, such as overnight hours and mid-afternoon. You may feel overwhelmingly sleepy quite suddenly at these times, shortly before bedtime or feel sleepy upon awakening. ”

Did you know not getting enough sleep is linked with:
~weight gain
~increased risk of motor vehicle accidents
~increased risk of heart disease
~increased risk of depression and substance abuse
~decreased ability to stay focused and task completion

What should you do to find out if you have a sleep disorder, limiting your ability to get a good nights sleep?

Visit your primary care physician and discuss with him/her your concerns.
Find out why you are not sleeping today.

Dr. Lydia Sosenko, D.D.S., D.ABDSM for Dental Sleep Medicine of Illinois

Come in, Come in to our Friendly Office and See Santa!!

Saturday, December 5th
1 – 4 pm,
1100 Sherman Ave, Suite 103
Naperville, 60563

Did you see the picture of Santa, Mrs. Claus and our elves in TribLocal?
Were on page 18, under events, but don’t worry if you missed it – just follow this link: http://www.triblocal.com/Naperville/readoz.html

What can you expect at our office?
Hot Dogs, Hot Cocoa, yummy christmas cookies and treats!

Photos with Santa!!

Door Prizes and Raffles, including an i-pod touch, brighton bracelet, silpada silver earrings, Starbucks and Naf Naf Grill Gift Cards, and Much Much More!!

Joins us for a fun and exciting afternoon!
Don’t forget to bring a Toy for our Toy Drive!
See you Saturday-

Here’s a list of signs from the National Sleep Foundation:

· Difficulty focusing, frequent blinking, or heavy eyelids
· Daydreaming; wandering/disconnected thoughts
· Trouble remembering the last few miles driven; missing exits or traffic signs
· Yawning repeatedly or rubbing your eyes
· Trouble keeping your head up
· Drifting from your lane, tailgating, or hitting a shoulder rumble strip
· Feeling restless and irritable

According to the National Sleep Foundation’s Sleep in America poll, 60% of Americans have driven while feeling sleepy and 37% admit to actually having fallen asleep at the wheel in the past year! Although 18 million Americans suffer from OSA, the vast majority remains undiagnosed.