Get The Sleep You Need
Do you or your partner have trouble sleeping because of excessive snoring? Heavy snoring is a common symptom of sleep apnea, but not all snorers suffer from this disorder.
Many people don’t realize that snoring can lead to serious consequences, especially for the people closest to you. Fortunately, Dr. Scott Clinton has effective solutions for both snoring and sleep apnea.
How Snoring Affects the People Around You
Loud snoring can often be disturbing to your spouse or sleeping partner. Snoring often interferes with your partner’s ability to get a good night’s sleep, making it a common source of tension in relationships.
Because snoring can disrupt your partner’s sleep, sharing a bed with a heavy snorer can cause many of the same issues that sleep apnea does, including:
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Weight gain
- Interpersonal conflict
What is Sleep Apnea?
Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a sleep disorder that occurs when your throat muscles relax and allow soft tissue to fall back into the airway, creating a blockage. This is a serious medical condition that causes patients to stop breathing dozens of times each night while they sleep.
According to the National Sleep Foundation, about half of heavy snorers also suffer from sleep apnea. These are the common symptoms of sleep apnea:
- Feeling tired and irritable during the day
- Making loud gasping noises while you sleep
- Waking up with a dry mouth or a sore throat
- A diminished libido
- Restless sleep
- Insomnia
Sleep apnea can have a devastating impact on your health, increasing your vulnerability to stroke, hypertension, and diabetes. This means it’s important to find out if your heavy snoring is a symptom of a sleep disorder. Fortunately, there’s an easy way to determine if you’re suffering from sleep apnea. You’ll undergo a sleep test, which is an overnight diagnostic study. If Dr. Clinton identifies signs of sleep apnea, he’ll arrange for you to take a sleep test.
An Easy Solution for Snoring
A snore guard is an oral appliance that’s made to fit comfortably in your mouth. There are many types of snore guards, but they’re all designed to allow you and the people around you to sleep peacefully.
Snore guards work in different ways — by holding the tongue in place so it won’t collapse back into the airway and/or by shifting the jaw slightly forward to keep the airway open. We feature several different models, so Dr. Clinton will recommend the snore guard that’s right for your situation.
Frequently Asked Questions
What causes snoring?
When you sleep, the tissues in your throat relax. When air flows past these relaxed tissues, it causes an auditory vibration — also known as snoring. Dr. Clinton offers custom oral appliances so you and your sleeping partner can get the rest you deserve.
To learn more about the benefits of an oral appliance to treat sleep apnea and snoring, schedule a consultation with Dr. Clinton by calling our Waxahachie office at (972) 737-5337. We’ll help you get to the root of your problem so you can get the restorative sleep you need.
Are there any natural ways to treat snoring?
There are a variety of ways you can naturally treat snoring, including:
- Sleep on your side
- Avoid taking sedatives before bed
- Refrain from drinking alcohol before bed
- Treat chronic allergies
- Use nasal strips
- Maintain a healthy weight
- Correct structural problems such as a deviated septum
- Get enough sleep
- Stop smoking
While these remedies may be helpful, a snore guard is a trusted solution to help relieve you and your partner of noisy nights. Dr. Clinton can customize a snore guard just for you, so we can comfortably treat your unique needs.
When is sleep apnea dangerous?
Sleep apnea is a serious medical condition that can be dangerous if left untreated. It can lead to serious health consequences and put your life at risk. Untreated sleep apnea can result in heart attacks, strokes, cardiovascular disease, and type 2 diabetes.
It’s important to get a proper diagnosis and seek treatment as soon as possible to prevent other health risks. To learn more about the risks and how to treat sleep apnea, schedule a consultation today with Dr. Clinton at our Waxahachie office at (972) 737-5337.
Bring Back The Rest You Need
If you think you may be suffering from sleep apnea, contact our Waxahachie office at (972) 737-5337 to schedule a consultation with Dr. Clinton. He’ll be more than happy to talk to you about your sleep apnea treatment options. You can also request more information by filling out our online contact form, and one of our staff members will get back to you shortly.