Quality Sleep for Quality Life
If you find yourself barely making it through the day, filled with irritability and fatigue, and don’t have the energy to spend quality time with your family, it’s possible that your sleep quality is to blame. The quality of our sleep can make all the difference in our quality of life. Good sleep allows our brains and bodies to function properly.
Snoring is the number one symptom of sleep apnea so if your partner complains of constant snoring throughout the night, it could be a sign of a more serious condition — sleep apnea. Snoring and sleep apnea can negatively impact both you and your partner, which is why our sleep dentist offers effective solutions to protect your health, sleep quality, and interpersonal relationships.
Thanks to our convenient office in Farmington, NM Dr. Schumacher and the whole Desert Hills Dental Care team can help New Mexico patients in Bloomfield, Aztec, Upper Fruitland, and the surrounding areas get the quality sleep they deserve.
What is Sleep Apnea?
Sleep apnea is a condition in which the body stops and restarts breathing throughout the night due to an obstruction in the throat, a neurological condition (which requires a specialist), or a combination of both. Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is the most common and easily treatable and is severe because it restricts a person’s airway while they sleep. This lack of breathing is caused when tissues in the throat collapse, preventing air from traveling to the lungs. Breathing is a vital function, so when your sleep pattern is disrupted, it can cause extreme sleepiness and fatigue during the day.
Symptoms of Sleep Apnea
Daytime and nighttime symptoms vary, but both are hard to identify without professional help. Common symptoms include:
- Excessive daytime fatigue
- Loud or disruptive snoring
- Gasping for air during sleep
- Headache upon awakening
- Dry mouth upon awakening
If you or a loved one are experiencing any of these symptoms, please contact our office to discuss your treatment options with Dr. Schumacher. He will help you get the diagnosis and treatment that you deserve.
Dangers of Untreated Sleep Apnea
According to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, at least 25 million Americans are suffering from sleep apnea, and most of these patients don’t even realize they have it. Unfortunately, the consequences of untreated sleep apnea are much more serious than many people realize.
Living with sleep apnea can make you feel tired and listless throughout the day. Many patients fall asleep at inappropriate times due to the fatigue that results from their inability to get a restful night’s sleep. If you have untreated sleep apnea, you’re more likely to suffer from a stroke or a heart attack, which could prove fatal. Other consequences range from heart disease to high blood pressure to diabetes, and a decrease in your overall quality of life. Additionally, sleep apnea leaves you more vulnerable to several mental health conditions such as depression and anxiety.
Sleep Apnea and Snoring
We treat both sleep apnea and snoring. Heavy snoring is often a sign that a patient suffers from sleep apnea. If you think you might be living with sleep apnea, or if you’ve already been diagnosed with it, Dr. Schumacher will make sure you get the proper care. We’ll design an individualized treatment plan just for you.
Snoring doesn’t always indicate a more serious issue so if we find that your heavy snoring isn’t due to sleep apnea, we can still treat your snoring using a small and convenient oral appliance. This will allow you to get relief and your loved ones to get a good night’s sleep.
Sleep Apnea Treatment
A CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) machine is the most commonly prescribed treatment for severe sleep apnea and is very effective if one can tolerate it. If it works well for you or a loved one, by all means, stay with it. For many patients, however, CPAP can be bulky, inconvenient, and uncomfortable. That’s why Dr. Schumacher offers comfortable alternative treatment solutions if you’re looking to manage your sleep apnea symptoms but find CPAP unbearable. If you suffer from mild to moderate sleep apnea, or can’t tolerate a CPAP machine, oral appliances are an effective and convenient alternative.
An oral appliance is a small device that gently keeps the airway open while you sleep and doesn’t interfere with your mobility or comfort while sleeping. Unlike CPAP, an oral appliance is completely portable, doesn’t force you to sleep in a particular position, and no power source is required.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does sleep apnea impact relationships?
The irritability and difficulty concentrating that often results from sleep apnea can damage your personal and professional life. Snoring is often the number one symptom of sleep apnea which can impact your partner’s sleep quality leading to tension in romantic partnerships.
Snoring and sleep apnea can cause both partners to lose sleep and negatively affect their physical and mental health, which is why seeking treatment is crucial.
What can increase your risk of developing OSA?
Sleep apnea can affect people of all ages and sizes, but there are a few physical traits that put you at an increased risk of developing obstructive sleep apnea. For example, if you’re overweight or obese, it’s easier to develop sleep apnea due to excess tissue in your throat. However, even slim people can have snoring and sleep apnea.
Get The Good Night’s Rest You Deserve
Choose Desert Hills Dental Care for your sleep apnea treatment and reclaim your sleep, personal relationships, and quality of life. If you’re a patient in Bloomfield, Aztec, Upper Fruitland, and the surrounding areas of New Mexico and ready to treat your sleep apnea, our sleep dentist can help you get the quality sleep you need. Call our Farmington office today at (505) 427-2936 or fill out the form below to schedule a consultation with Dr. Schumacher.