Snoring and Sleep Apnea

Sleep apnea is a very common disorder that affects a person’s airflow while they are sleeping. During the night, you will repeatedly stop breathing for short periods of time if you have sleep apnea. Generally, there is some sort of natural blockage that occurs in your throat, causing the disruption in airflow. 

Due to the interruption of breath, your brain will wake up and start working, queuing your body to start breathing again. This effect also causes the back of your throat to make loud and consistent snoring noises. 

Sleep Apnea Symptoms

Not every person who snores has sleep apnea. However, loud and chronic snoring does often indicate a sleeping disorder. In addition to snoring, there are other common symptoms to watch for, including the following.

  • Sleeplessness and insomnia are common signs of sleep apnea. Additionally, the sleeplessness of your spouse is a major concern with chronic snoring. Even if you do not have sleep apnea, your dentist could help you snore less. This, in turn, can help your spouse sleep better.
  • Daytime fatigue and excessive sleepiness are a constant battle for those with sleep apnea. Over time, fatigue also leads to difficulty concentrating on daily tasks and results in poor memory. Daytime fatigue also becomes extremely dangerous when handling machinery or driving vehicles. 
  • With constant fatigue also comes irritability and mood swings. A general lack of sleep or lack of REM sleep can lead to depression as well. 
  • Snoring prohibits oxygen from entering the bloodstream, making it extremely difficult for your body to recover from your daily activities. Due to this effect, you can develop cardiovascular disease. This includes high blood pressure, heart attacks, and strokes. 

As with many disorders, your symptoms will only get worse over time. If you notice chronic snoring in yourself or a loved one, then you should see an expert as soon as possible. Michael T. Rosen, DDS, MS, FAGD, LVIF, dedicates his time and experience to helping people with sleep apnea recover. 

Don’t Hesitate to See Us

When you first develop sleep apnea, you may only notice the small annoyances of the disorder. These include waking up with a sore throat, snoring loudly, or waking up constantly throughout the night. However, sleep apnea has long-lasting effects that develop over time if you don’t seek treatment. 

When sleep apnea goes untreated, your daytime fatigue compounds and makes you extremely groggy. This can lead to automobile accidents and other injuries. Plus, your constant mood swings could push your friends and family away from you. 

Systematically, you could develop heart issues such as diabetes, stroke, and high blood pressure. Sleep apnea could also bring on asthma, liver disease, and metabolic syndrome when left untreated. Instead of living with sleep apnea and snoring frequently, contact us to discuss treatment options. At our practice, we utilize a non-invasive, comfortable oral appliance to gently guide the airway and mitigate sleep apnea. 

Your Sleep Apnea Expert for Snoring

If you or a loved one snores excessively, then you should consider the ramifications. Snoring could mean that you have sleep apnea and sleep apnea can severely damage your health and wellbeing. 

Schedule a consultation with Dr. Rosen in Wilmington call us today at (302) 994-0979.