A restless night of sleep can impact an individual tremendously, especially if frequency and intensity play a factor. Indeed, for your motor function to operate efficiently, one needs roughly eight hours of quality rest every single night, give or take. If this need is not met, your entire body can suffer. What’s more, it is even more grueling when your rest is disturbed by a partner’s incessant snoring. In today’s blog, your Houston, TX dentist will discuss the impacts of chronic snoring, and how it can actually be indicative of a much bigger concern.
A Blocked Air Passage
For a number of individuals, occasional snoring could very well be a normal occurrence. For most, however, habitual snoring could mean trouble. In fact, snoring is often a warning sign of an obstructed airway. This can occur from a number of causes, but is most often associated with that of sleep apnea.
Snoring occurs when your air passage is partially blocked by tissue or relaxed throat muscles while you rest, creating a sort of rumbling sound as you attempt to breathe throughout the night. If it is left unchecked, it could develop into a bigger concern, and inevitably impact your overall health. For more information about this process, contact our team today.
Other Signs of Sleep Apnea
While occasional snoring is hardly anything to worry about, habitually doing so could mean you are affected by a phenomenon known as obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). OSA occurs when the air passage becomes consistently block multiple times throughout the night, and is defined by lapses of breathing for periods of 10 seconds or longer. When an individual experiences OSA, symptoms that follow can include daytime fatigue, irritability, hypersomnia during the day, insomnia at night, awaking with a headache or dry mouth, and more.
In addition to side effects, OSA has a major impact on one’s overall health if it is not properly addressed. This will include heart problems, complications with surgery and medications, increased blood pressure, liver issues, and more. Indeed, sleep apnea can become a potentially life-threatening concern, which is why it is always better to act sooner rather than later if you suspect you are suffering the symptoms. For more information about this process or to speak to our team, contact our office today.
What We Can do to Help
While snoring caused by OSA can be a troubling problem, proper treatment can help. A custom mouthguard or oral appliance can be created to help open your airway and ensure that proper air circulation occurs. We can also discuss your options with you to determine the best course of action.
Schedule Your Appointment
For more information about this process and how we can help, contact SleepWell Houston in Houston, TX by calling 713-796-9600 today to schedule your next appointment.
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