Introduction

While there are numerous types of sleep disorders, Sleep Better Columbus is focused on providing high quality Sleep Medicine specifically related to treatment for Snoring  and Sleep Apnea. 

Sleep Better Columbus's team and Dr. Mark Levy are a family. Teamwork and unity are a core principle, along with a passion for patient care.  The team at Sleep Better Columbus have been helping people in their sleep apnea clinic with sleep apnea and snoring and the conditions associated with them, such as teeth grinding and fatigue for decades. Our Sleep Better Columbus team helps patients regain their health, vitality, energy, marriage harmony, and quality of life.

Dr. Mark Levy, a Sleep Apnea Specialist and sleep medicine doctor, has dedicated his career as a sleep apnea dentist to researching, analyzing and developing his team’s comprehensive and compassionate approach to patient care. Dr. Levy has become one of Central Ohio’s foremost sleep medicine specialty dentists providing non-surgical treatments of both sleep apnea symptoms and snoring disorders.

Dr. Levy has also dedicated his career to helping patients get a better night’s sleep. He is a member of several professional organizations related to the sleep medicine specialty, including I.A.P.A. (The International Association of Physiologic Aesthetics), A.A.D.S.M. (The American Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine), and A.A.S.M (American Association of Sleep Medicine). In addition, Dr. Levy has been a member of the American Dental Association, the Ohio Dental Association, the Columbus Dental Society and Alpha Omega. Dr. Mark Levy, has spent most of  his career to researching, analyzing and developing his team’s comprehensive and compassionate approach to patient care.  In addition, Dr. Levy has been a member of the American Dental Association, the Ohio Dental Association, the Columbus Dental Society and Alpha Omega.

Dr. Mark Levy has become one of Central Ohio’s foremost sleep medicine dentists providing non-surgical treatments of both sleep apnea and snoring disorders. He and his wife, Cynthia, have lectured nationally and have trained numerous other dentists in this specialized field. Dr. Levy has participated in dental missions to Israel, providing care for the country’s indigent.

As a member of both the American Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine and the Academy of Clinical Sleep Disorders Disciplines, Dr. Levy has completed hundreds of hours of continuing education, assuring you an exceptional level of education, training, and experience in the use of oral appliance therapy to treat snoring and sleep apnea conditions.

He served on the advisory board of Elite Dental Institute and has taught dental sleep medicine protocols to dental practices around the country. Dr. Levy also lectured to healthcare providers in Moscow and St. Petersburg, Russia and has plans to continue to teach abroad, bringing awareness of obstructive sleep apnea to the Russian medical community.

Snoring and Sleep Apnea

Snoring is usually caused by loose or excessive tissue at the back of the throat which collapses into the airway during sleep. This tissue can vibrate as you breathe, causing the annoying and disruptive noise we all know too well.

Snoring is more frequent in men than in women, but as women near menopause, the hormonal changes and weight gain can result in a very loud snorer!

Snoring that is very loud and can be heard throughout the house is usually the first sign that there may be something else going on. And snoring like this is not just unhealthy for the snorer- inadequate sleep for the bed partner can lead to exhaustion and potential other ill effects. Many patients of Dr. Levy’s report sleeping in separate bedrooms.

As a matter of fact, one of the new trends in custom built homes is the inclusion of 2 master bedrooms. Sad, but true. Very often, someone who snores does not realize or believe that they do so. Even when others complain about it, the snorer may still say “not me”. They also say things like “I can’t hear it so it not a problem”. It is important for both sides to remember that snorers cannot help the fact that they snore, but they should be willing to get treatment with an anti-snoring dental appliance so that the whole family can get a good night’s sleep.

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a condition where the afflicted are not able to breathe properly while sleeping. Throughout the night sufferers will often experience apneas (defined as the temporary inability to breathe) that may last as long as 40 seconds. This causes your brain to “wake you up” enough that you’ll move and can resume breathing.

Most patients don’t know that they have this condition until they are observed by a spouse or sleeping partner. This means that most OSA sufferers are unaware of their condition and have just learned to live a life of fatigue. You do not have to live this way – there are many treatments available for OSA.

Sleep Apnea is a condition in which a person stops breathing many times throughout the night, sometimes for dangerously long periods of time. It is estimated that up to 10% of middle-aged men and women may suffer from sleep apnea. With sleep apnea, the airway becomes obstructed, usually by the back of the tongue. With the airway obstructed, a person does not breathe. Obviously, breathing is essential to life and our well-being. Every time breathing stops, it causes dangerous low levels of oxygen in the body and heart rate and blood pressure increase. Sometimes this happens up to 80-120 times per hour. Imagine the toll it takes on your body. The gasping you hear at night is the person’s attempt to awaken and start to breathe again. The extreme tiredness is due to the constant awakening to catch a breath, never allowing them to get the deep restful sleep needed by the body.

Sleep apnea is linked to heart disease, strokes, high blood pressure, impotence, depression and nighttime urination. One of the most significant symptoms is excessive daytime sleepiness. Take the Epworth Sleepiness Test to see how you score. It is estimated that excessive sleepiness can be as dangerous as drunk driving. Yet no one knows who is on the road suffering from sleep apnea and how many accidents they are causing. One more fact- it is estimated that untreated severe sleep apnea will take 10 years off of your life. Serious indeed!