Most of America is so sleep deprived that we really look forward to that one extra hour of sleep each year when our clocks “fall back” marking the end of Daylight Savings Time.

The trick is to use the time change to keep getting the sleep you need every night. Since it will be getting dark earlier your body will probably be ready to sleep a little earlier as well. Don’t try to stay awake – you can record the late night talk shows – make bedtime a priority.

In the spring when we change to Daylight Savings Time our bodies need almost a week to adjust and we see higher rates of heart attacks, injuries on the job and car accidents. In the fall, the rates of all of these drop. The bad news is that workers are usually driving to work in the dark, and then driving back home at the end of the day in the dark as well. The tendency is for people to get tired, take a little nap in front of the TV and then have a hard time falling asleep at bedtime.

Patients who suffer from sleep disorders such as obstructive sleep apnea need to be especially vigilant about keeping a sleep schedule and making sure that they are treating their sleep apnea. For patients who are not able to use a CPAP a wonderful alternative is an oral appliance. Oral appliances are highly effective and most patients find them very comfortable and easy to sleep with. The best part – no electricity, tubes or masks! You can still treat your apnea even if you are without power.

Please contact Columbus, OH sleep apnea dentist Dr. Mark Levy at 614-476-6696 today to schedule your consultation.