Do you find yourself snoring each night? In addition to preventing your significant other from resting, this could also mean you have a sleep disorder that needs immediate attention. Our team of sleep experts in Wheaton, IL offers solutions for chronic snoring so you can feel rested and alert again, and avoid impacts on your overall health!
The Causes of Your Snoring
We snore when our air passages are partially blocked by soft tissues. When we breathe, the air is forced through these passages and vibrates soft tissues to create a loud sound. The causes could be linked to sleeping on your back, obesity, large neck circumference, or even sinus or allergy issues that inhibit clear breathing. A deviated septum and excessive alcohol before bed could also be factors. When you snore on a nightly basis, you prevent your significant other from resting well, but this also means you may not be resting well too!
The Link to Sleep Apnea
Sleep apnea is a common sleep disorder in which soft tissues collapse and block airflow as we sleep. We stop breathing completely, until the brain wakes us after registering the drop in oxygen. We often don’t remember these episodes, even though they happen dozens of times an hour and leave us sleep deprived due to interruptions to our sleep cycle. Warning signs include chronic snoring, waking suddenly gasping for air or choking, dry mouth, headaches, and irritability. You could also feel tired in the day and have trouble focusing on tasks at school or work. When you exhibit one or more of these signs, then let us know right away. Because otherwise, untreated sleep apnea is linked to hypertension, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, a weakened immune system, and even an increased risk of stroke or heart attack.
Possible Treatment Options
Our team will carefully examine you to assess the presence of sleep apnea and to choose the most appropriate treatment option. For many, we can offer an alternative to surgery or the CPAP machine with an oral appliance, a device that fits like a mouthguard and is worn as you sleep. Custom-made for your smile, the device actually repositions your jaw and tongue to prevent the collapse of soft tissues, so you breathe without interruption and without nightly snores. If you have any questions about how we diagnose and treat sleep apnea, or if you have chronic snoring that needs attention, then contact our team today.
Finding the Right Solution for Chronic Snoring In Wheaton, IL
We would like to help you enjoy a better quality of life by avoiding sleep interruption. To learn more about putting a stop to your nightly snore, or to schedule a consultation, give us a call at Wheaton Dental Sleep Center at (630)665-5555.