Sleep Apnea and Snoring
Kristen Geist, DDS, D. ABDSM
Diplomate, American Board of Dental Sleep Medicine
Dr. Geist is one of a small group of doctors that has undergone extensive training in dental sleep medicine, and is a Diplomate of the American Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine. We are here to help!
Always tired even after a full night of rest?
Do you snore?
Has anyone ever noticed you gasping in the night?
Anxiety first thing in the morning?
There’s a really easy way to get screened to see if a sleep-related breathing disorder could be playing a role. Sleep apnea and related disorders significantly impact our ability to feel rested AND they put us at huge risk for things like heart attack and stroke, and much more.
Several years ago I was exhausted, constantly getting dizzy and lightheaded, struggling with unexplainable anxiety, having breathing issues, and utterly confused after spending time in several doctors offices… and I even landed in the emergency room with no answers. It was a very frustrating time in my life.
It wasn’t until almost 2 years into investigating that I finally took a sleep test, which led to a clear diagnosis of something called Upper Airway Resistance Syndrome. I was shocked, SO curious, and ready to learn more about this diagnosis. Long story short, it means that due to my breathing, I was waking up many many times in the night – unable to get deep rest, and sending my sympathetic system (fight or flight) into overdrive. FINALLY – a reason for how I had been feeling.
As much as it was frustrating, the main thing I felt was RELIEF. Finally an answer.
UARS was severely compromising my quality of life, and it was so frustrating to feel like I was doing all of the things to be “healthy” yet feeling awful, exhausted, and struggling to get through a normal day. I finally started a variety of therapies to help my breathing and my sleeping, and WOW – life is so much better when you are well rested!
My pulmonologist happened to notice on my history that I am a dentist and highly encouraged me to start to learn more about the ways dentists can help people with sleep apnea and related disorders. I spent several years learning, and I really committed to being an expert in this area of dentistry once I saw the possibilities of feeling good.
I’m happy to be here to support you on your journey to sleeping and feeling better. If there’s something I don’t know or can’t help you with, I usually have a great resource for where to go next. I pride myself on looking for root causes, working with your physicians, always learning, and really doing my best to advocate for my patients.
If you are curious or have any questions, send me a message!
