Snoring and Sleep Apnea
Snoring is not an irregular action. Lots of people do it on a regular basis, and while patients diagnosed with sleep apnea report that it is a symptom, not everyone who snores has sleep apnea.
Sleep apnea occurs when someone stops breathing several times throughout the night. This blockage of the airway can cause symptoms such as daytime fatigue and gasping noises during sleep.
Your snoring can also cause your sleep partner to lose a significant amount of rest, which can dampen their wellbeing. Loss of sleep leads to a number of serious health and wellness issues, including:
- Greater risk of stroke, diabetes, and heart disease
- Weight gain
- Daytime sleepiness and fatigue
- Reduced memory and intellectual function
- Higher incidents of workplace and automobile accidents
- Depression and anxiety
- Reduced sex drive
Frequent Fixes
Partners of patients who snore often try anything get a good night’s rest. Some people will try to fall asleep before the snorer, but that doesn’t prevent them from being woken up throughout the night.
Other partners will try using earplugs or a noise machine that plays a light tune to distract themselves from their partner’s snoring. The problem with these remedies is that they can prevent you from hearing important ques, such as your alarm clock or your child stirring during the night.
Some couples are disrupted by snoring enough that they resort to sleeping separately. In fact, about half of the couples that sleep separately reported that snoring was the cause.
Lending a Hand to Loud Snorers
At Desert Hill Dental Care, Dr. Schumacher specializes in snoring and sleep apnea treatment. If your loud is affecting your loved ones, we can help. We offer CPAP alternatives, such as a convenient oral appliance that helps prevent snoring by forcing the airway open while you sleep. Call 505-427-2936 and speak with a member of our friendly staff today! We have snoring solutions.
