It’s no secret that many of us don’t get enough sleep. We’ve all witnessed coworkers dragging into work with under-eye bags, or find ourselves guilty of nodding off in midafternoon meetings.
But if you’re consistently devoting enough time for a decent night’s sleep and you still aren’t feeling refreshed in the morning, then something is disturbing your sleep rhythm throughout the night causing the quality of your sleep to be subpar.
You may attribute consecutive nights of poor sleep to a number of factors; however, snoring is one common culprit for many of us.
How can you stop snoring easily?
First, lets review a common sleep disorder, obstructive sleep apnea, and how it relates to your snoring and daytime sleepiness.
Obstructive sleep apnea happens when your airway is obstructed such that you gasp, choke, or fight for air as you sleep, which sounds like loud snoring (trains rumbling through the house) to your spouse or others within earshot.
This condition isn’t just uncomfortable. It can be life-threatening; it can increase the risk of heart attack, high blood pressure, and stroke, and can result in a shortened lifespan.
You may even briefly stop breathing altogether while you sleep, depriving your brain of oxygen for short periods of time and reduce your blood oxygen levels.
This sleep disorder affects millions of Americans and causes you to experience interrupted sleep cycles and leads to daytime drowsiness. Almost 90% of people who have sleep apnea go undiagnosed.
Be aware that the following symptoms occur for patients with obstructive sleep apnea:
- A choking sensation during the night. If you stop breathing during the night and struggle or fight for air as you sleep, you may wake up suddenly and feel as though you are choking. You may not wake up fully during these episodes, but take note of any incidents that occur.
- Sore throat or dry mouth. Do you wake up in the morning with a sore throat and/or dry mouth? This may be an indication that you have sleep apnea.
- Difficulty concentrating during the day. You feel drowsy, have low energy, or find that you can’t focus because you’re sleepy.
Evaluation and treatment to help you stop snoring
If you think you might have sleep apnea, or you know someone who might, take our Snore Quiz. The Berlin Diagnostic Quiz can also help you determine how severe your snoring is and whether you should seek treatment.
Find a treatment option right for you
Customized treatment options are available through our eos sleep network of doctors. We offer a wide selection of treatment options, with noninvasive, minimally invasive, and surgical medical treatments that can help you stop snoring.
Noninvasive treatments
- Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP). The CPAP mask is a nighttime appliance for patients diagnosed with sleep apnea.
- Oral appliances. If you’ve been diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea before and have tried and found a CPAP mask too uncomfortable to wear, oral appliances may offer an effective alternative. They are custom-made, easy to wear and adjust to, and are easy to take with you anywhere.
Minimally invasive procedures
Minimally invasive procedures take place in the office under local anesthesia. You can usually resume your normal activities the same day.
- Balloon Sinuplasty. This procedure opens blocked sinus cavities and relieves pressure and pain when you have chronic sinusitis, a common cause of snoring. Your sleep doctor performs a Balloon Sinuplasty using local anesthesia.
- Pillar procedure. With this procedure, the doctor inserts small implants in the soft palate to stiffen it. The procedure takes less than 30 minutes in the office and uses local anesthesia. Although it can take several months for you to see full benefits, most patients see a significant decrease in their snoring within weeks.
Outpatient surgery
If your doctor recommends outpatient surgery, it will be done in an outpatient surgery center under general anesthesia. An example of this includes:
- Endoscopic sinus surgery. If you have sinusitis, chronic nasal congestion, sinus related snoring and obstructive sleep apnea, or nasal polyps, your doctor may recommend surgery if medications have not improved your condition. The surgery is highly effective and mildly uncomfortable, with a recovery time of 7 to 10 days.
Stop snoring and sleep better
Once you’ve taken our Snoring Quiz and have determined that you may need help with your snoring, the easiest way to stop snoring and sleep better is to schedule an appointment with an eos sleep specialist in your area.
Diagnosis and treatment are covered by most insurance; remember that this is a serious health condition that could have lasting consequences if you don’t take care of it today.
Your health, and the health of those affected by your snoring, is important to living the best life possible.