Snoring has been played for laughs in many movies, but it stops being funny when it’s happening just a few feet away as you are trying to sleep. Now, most people snore from time to time.

If someone you love is snoring loudly and constantly night after night, however, then he or she may have sleep apnea. This is a sleep disorder which is preventing both of you from getting the restful, restorative sleep that you need.

It’s also a good reason to contact our dentists in Laredo, TX. We can help assess whether your loved may have sleep apnea, and we can provide a sleep apnea treatment in our office.

We have to Davenport Dental Group locations where you schedule a consultation. To reach us by phone, call 956-242-6745 (for our Junction Drive office) or 956-517-2695 (for our Winfield office). You can also reach us with our online appointment form.

We are here, and we want to help you and your partner get the deep, healthy sleep that you both deserve.

Sleep Apnea Vs. Deep Sleep

People who get healthy sleep wake up feeling refreshed. When they fall asleep, they go through a series of cycles of the various stages of sleep. These include REM (rapid eye movement) and non-REM sleep.

The first stage is when you are first starting to drift off for the night. This leads into the second stage, which is still light sleep, but also when brain activity is slowing down. Many people with untreated sleep apnea never get beyond this stage.

The third stage is considered deep sleep. People in this stage may have little or no muscle movement, but this also leads into the fourth stage, REM sleep. This is the time when people are most likely to dream.

The time spent in deep sleep is important for our health. Experts believe it plays a role in how we recover from illness, injuries, and everyday activities.

Without deep sleep, you can feel the effects of sleep deprivation:

▸ Frequent daytime sleepiness

▸ Feeling irritable or grumpy

▸ Difficulty concentrating

▸ Being accident prone

And we aren’t just talking about small problems. People with sleep apnea are more than twice as likely to be in a car accident than other people.

We want you and your spouse to wake up feeling refreshed. We also want you both to be alert when you are behind the wheel. Coming to Davenport Dental Group for sleep apnea treatment could help you sleep deeper so you can avoid the effects of sleep deprivation.

Other Effects Of Sleep Apnea

When left untreated, sleep apnea can have other serious health effects as well.

The most common type of sleep apnea is obstructive sleep apnea. This occurs when soft tissues block someone’s airways when he or she falls asleep.

When the airways are restricted, this can amplify the sound of snoring (as you may know all too well). When someone’s airways are blocked, he or she can’t breathe.

Apnea is derived from a Greek word meaning “without breath.” Sleep apnea is characterized by frequent breathing stoppages throughout the night.

In the case of mild sleep apnea, someone may stop breathing for up to 30 seconds at a time as often as 14 times per hour. At this point, your loved one’s body is quite literally fighting to keep him or her alive.

To do that, it will wake him or her briefly to take a few breaths. Your spouse may have no memory of this happening as he or she drifts back to sleep. Then the cycle of snoring, stopping breathing, and waking up starts again.

With the right sleep apnea treatment, your partner can continue breathing, stay asleep longer, and snore less often.

If that sounds like a good option to you, then contact either of dentist offices in Laredo, TX, to ask about our sleep apnea treatments.

Treating Sleep Apnea

CPAP machines are the most common sleep apnea treatment. This machine rests near your partner’s side of the bed. He or she wears a mask, which is how air is pushed into his or her airways to keep them open.

When used as needed, this can be an effective way to counter the effects of sleep apnea. Unfortunately, masks can be irritating. Machines can make noises of their own, and people can remove the masks in their sleep.

As an alternative treatment option, you may want to consider an oral appliance. This pulls your partner’s jaw forward slightly. That too can help him or her continue breathing, and you can get a better night’s sleep, too.

Again, you can call 956-242-6745 (Junction Drive) or 956-517-2695 (Winfield) or contact us online to learn more. Be sure to schedule your next regular checkup, too.