How well do you think you would sleep if your spouse turned a vacuum cleaner on and off several times every hour?
Now, how well do you think your partner is able to sleep with your endless snoring all night?
We used this comparison for a reason. Vacuum cleaners have an average noise level of 70 decibels. Snoring tends to fall between 60 and 80 decibels (although louder snores have been documented).
Most people snore from time to time, but people who have sleep apnea or related issues tend to snore loudly and constantly. This can explain why your spouse is easily annoyed in the morning … and it can explain why you feel so tired all the time, too.
Fortunately, our team at Beaumont Family Dentistry can help and so can our affiliated office, Sleep Better Lexington.
You can schedule a consultation with us in Lexington, KY, by calling 859-251-5115.
Snoring & Sleep Apnea
Loud snoring is one of the most noticeable symptoms of obstructive sleep apnea. OSA is the most common form of this sleep disorder.
Snoring occurs when your breathing vibrates the soft tissues near your airway. When you have OSA, your airway gets narrower as you fall asleep. That makes the sound of your snoring even louder.
That is, it gets louder until your airway becomes completely closed off and your stop breathing. We understand that may sound scary, but it can happen anywhere from 5 to more than 30 times every hour that you are trying to sleep depending on the severity of your sleep apnea.
Each time you stop breathing, your body will wake you up. Most of the time you will not remember this since it’s generally just long enough for you to take a few breaths and then drift back to sleep. (At which point, your cycle of snoring, stopping breathing, and waking up starts again.)
Because you are waking up so frequently, you rarely reach the stages of deep sleep. Without deep sleep, you can suffer from sleep deprivation. This can lead to daytime sleepiness and fatigue, which can make you more irritable, less able to focus on a task or project, and more likely to involved in a car accident.
Sleep & Your Health
As you probably realize, not breathing is bad for your health, too. In fact, it’s stressful on your body.
This is why people with untreated sleep apnea are more likely to have high blood pressure. It also helps to explain why sleep apnea can increase your risk of cardiovascular disease, heart attacks, and strokes.
To treat your sleep apnea, you need a way to keep your airway open so you can continue breathing throughout the night. By doing this, you’ll be able to get the deep, healthy sleep that you need to feel more refreshed and more energetic when you wake up.
Our sleep apnea treatment also can reduce the sound of your snoring and how often you snore, which is something your spouse will appreciate, too.
You (& Your Spouse) Deserve a Good Night’s Sleep
We can help, but only if you visit us. Call 859-251-5115 or contact Sleep Better Lexington online to request an appointment.
You can snore less and sleep better. Let us help you help yourself!