Is Snoring A Problem?
Does your spouse or partner sleep in a different room because of your snoring? Are you often tired in the mornings, even after eight hours of sleep? Do you regularly run out of energy during the day? Answering “yes” to these questions means you may have a bigger problem on your hands.
What Snoring Means
We snore because air flowing past the relaxed tissues in the throat causes them to vibrate as we breathe during sleep. Soft or occasional snoring is usually harmless. However, loud, chronic snoring can be associated with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Snoring doesn’t automatically mean you have OSA, but snoring plus any of the symptoms below is a good indication that you may:
- Breathing pauses during sleep, possibly accompanied by gasping or choking
- Excessive daytime drowsiness
- Trouble concentrating
- Morning headaches, especially immediately upon waking
- Sore, scratchy throat not associated with an illness or allergies
- Restless sleep/insomnia
- Elevated blood pressure
- Chest pain at night
- Uncharacteristic mood swings, irritability, or anxiety
Why it’s a Problem
Sleep apnea is a condition in which the soft tissues at the back of your throat relax when you sleep and block your airway, causing you to stop breathing. You will wake up briefly repeatedly during the night because you need air. Most sleep apnea sufferers are unaware that this is happening, but their spouses and partners are. Untreated sleep apnea puts you at higher risk for:
- heart disease
- diabetes
- hypertension
- stroke
- heart attack
- depression
- anxiety
- daytime accidents
As Dr. Higgins explains, “Obstructive sleep apnea is common. Making jokes about your spouse’s snoring may seem funny, but snoring is not normal or healthy. When your breathing becomes obstructed (snoring) or stops (sleep apnea), even for a short while, it can have severe health risks.”
Sleep Apnea Treatment
CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) machines are the most commonly prescribed sleep apnea treatment. However, for patients who don’t tolerate it well or for whom it is ineffective, we have a solution that doesn’t involve a cumbersome machine — a custom oral appliance. An oral appliance is a small device that fits inside your mouth, keeping your jaw in the proper position to ensure your airway remains completely unobstructed while you sleep. It eliminates, or greatly reduces, snoring and sleep apnea episodes.
If you or your partner or spouse snores consistently every night and you’re worried about your or their health, please contact our office in Denton, MD. We can help you get a diagnosis and talk to you about treatment. Your health is too important to sleep on. Call us today!
