Sometimes it seems like you need a vacation from vacation! Depending on what you do, there’s all the packing, reservations, preparations for your house and car if you’re driving, then unpacking when you get there, following schedules, packing up again, and unpacking when you get back. On top of that, if you’ve taken paid time off, you may have a pile of work to catch up on. All those things can be overlooked, of course, because the trip is worth it in the end. One thing that can put a damper on your plans, however, is the loud snoring that often goes along with sleep apnea. Thankfully, Contemporary Dentistry & Implantology offers snoring solutions in Peabody.
Take one more worry away from your vacation plans – and your life. Find out more below, then call 978-705-6051 today for a consultation.
Does Snoring Mean You Have Sleep Apnea?
Before we get to anything else, we first need to address this common question about sleep apnea. A lot of patients think snoring is just a nuisance at worst. This is the case much of the time, but not always. Loud, constant snoring is one of the most common signs of sleep apnea. Not only does this keep people in your household awake on a regular basis, but you know if you’ve gone on vacation before that it can keep up your loved ones while they’re supposed to be resting and relaxing!
There are other symptoms and risk factors that may indicate you have sleep apnea, too:
- Being overweight or obese
- Having a large neck
- Having enlarged tonsils or a large tongue
- Being a male and/or an adult over 40
- Having a family history of sleep apnea
- Drinking alcohol before bed
- Falling asleep easily during the day, especially when reading, watching TV, working at a desk, or even driving
- Daytime fatigue, even with plenty of sleep
- Dry mouth and headaches upon waking
Why Should I Worry About Sleep Apnea?
If you can relate to the daytime fatigue, you might know that just being on vacation itself can wear you out. That’s because people with sleep apnea stop breathing multiple times throughout the night, and their bodies wake them up just long enough to breathe. Those waking episodes are so quick that many people don’t remember waking up.
But imagine if someone woke you up every night several times an hour – or up to a hundred times an hour! That doesn’t sound like you could get the good, healthy sleep you need to function well, does it? And that’s just what happens with sleep apnea. It’s also the reason spouses and bed partners wake up so often when you’re snoring. Chronic snoring can keep them from getting sleep more than it can keep you from getting sleep!
On top of that, breathing cessations can become dangerous when they go on too long. If you stop breathing up to 100 times an hour, your oxygen isn’t getting to your vital organs, including your brain, like it should. That can lead to problems such as:
- Heart disease
- Heart attack
- Stroke
- High blood pressure
- Diabetes
- Alzheimer’s disease
- And more
That’s why you’ll often read about celebrities who died from sleep apnea complications also having a heart attack or another condition or episode associated with their death. It’s also why you might have had your bed partner shake you awake at night when you start gasping or choking for air – another common sign of sleep apnea.
Those health risks are another reason it’s so important to get snoring solutions that effectively treat sleep apnea symptoms. Speaking of which …
We Offer Effective Sleep Apnea Solutions
We’ve heard many people say they don’t even want to get tested for sleep apnea because they assume they’ll need a CPAP machine. If you aren’t familiar with it, it’s usually the first-line treatment for people with moderate to severe sleep apnea. A machine pumps air into a tube that connects to a mask you wear while you sleep. That pressurized air goes into your airways to keep you breathing.
Although it certainly works well and has even helped extend lives, it’s not right for everyone. About half of all people prescribed a CPAP stop using it soon after. That’s because it:
- Can be loud and disrupt sleep
- Can be uncomfortable, especially the mask
- Can cause dry mouth
- Can be inconvenient to store and clean
- Can be inconvenient to travel with
That last one can make traveling and vacations even more work than you’re willing to put forth. But the truth is, many patients don’t need a CPAP. Mild to moderate sleep apnea can be treated with an oral appliance. It can even be used for severe sleep apnea sufferers who are intolerant of CPAP or even alongside CPAP.
Don’t Risk Your Health & the Health of Your Loved Ones
Ask yourself now:
Is it really worth sleeping poorly every single night?
Is it worth compromising the sleep of your household, too?
Is it worth the inevitable health risks?
Is it worth being tired day in and day out?
Is it worth the constant fatigue and brain fog?
Is it worth the headaches?
If you don’t do it for yourself, do it for someone you love.
Ready for an easy way to reduce your risk and start sleeping better? Talk to one of our trained doctors about your snoring solutions. We have extensive training in sleep apnea. We’ll have you come in for an exam – nothing crazy – and can help arrange sleep testing if needed. Then, we can create a custom sleep appliance that fits far better than a one-size-fits-all appliance online.
And sleep apnea appliances are an FDA-approved treatment for sleep apnea. They take very little to get used to, so you can start sleeping well fast – perhaps just in time for your vacation.
For great sleep apnea treatment and snoring solutions in Peabody, trust Contemporary Dentistry & Implantology. Call us at 978-705-6051 to set up your appointment, or reach out online.