Medical and dental options exist to help serious snorers

According to the National Sleep Foundation, 90 million Americans snore, and 37 million of them snore regularly.

For some, the condition can be temporary, such as if someone imbibed more alcohol than usual before bed, which can relax the throat muscles, or congestion that may be caused by illness or higher levels of contaminants in the air.

In other cases, snoring may be a chronic problem due to anything from obesity to slight changes in the shape of the mouth and jaw as the body ages. Snoring in general could cause less alertness during the day and disruptive sleep patterns, not to mention possible unhappiness from a domestic partner.

For about half of the snorers out there, snoring is actually more than an inconvenience – it can be a life-threatening condition known as sleep apnea, which is when the throat is blocked so much by snoring that breathing is actually obstructed. At best those suffering from sleep apnea can make it difficult to get extended amounts of sleep, and cause fatigue during the day. At worst, it could cause a halt in breathing, choking or even death.

Luckily, a variety of solutions are available for people with sleep apnea Novato, ranging from simple mouthpieces that keep the tongue from relaxing to machines that provide a constant flow of oxygen to surgery. A family doctor or even a family dentist can provide more information on all of these, since both professions are familiar with the workings of the mouth.

There are also sleep centers and medical and dental professionals who specialize in sleep disorders Novato, since getting good sleep is so important to our lives.

One choice that’s gaining popularity among people suffering from mild to moderate apnea is called the Pillar Palatal Procedure: it’s a minor surgery where tiny rods are inserted into the soft palate in the mouth. The implants help make the palate stiffer, which dampens the vibrations that cause snoring.

The FDA-approved procedure can be done as quickly as 20 minutes and only requires local anesthetic. Since no tissue is removed, there isn’t any damage or permanent changes to the mouth that would affect activities like eating or talking.

People with a sleep disorder Novato who have undergone the Pillar Palatal Procedure have reported a decrease in their snoring, better responsiveness and alertness during the day and an 80 percent drop in their sleep apnea. 

Reasons Someone Might Experience Sleep Disorders or Insomnia

Many people, especially younger people, often shrug off a few nights without decent sleep. They might even embrace it, considering themselves night owls. However, all of this nocturnal living, especially without catching up with sleep during the daytime, does have potentially negative consequences. In fact, many people might not even realize they are suffering from insomnia without considering some of the reasons they aren't sleeping.

For those who suffer from sleep disorders Novato or sleep apnea Novato, it is important to understand what some of the causes of insomnia, which include the following:

• Stress. Carrying worries about family, work, health concerns can feel overwhelming and can definitely wreak havoc on regular sleep patterns.
• Depression. Sufferers of depression usually encounter either excess amounts of sleep or, quite often, severe lack of sleep. Insomnia often exacerbates their depression, creating a vicious cycle.

• Anxiety. Whether anxiety of work or other everyday concerns, or if someone suffers from an anxiety disorder, a lack of sleep can make this condition worse. The person suffering from anxiety will often add their lack of sleep to their list of anxieties.
• Medical Conditions and Illness. There are many illnesses and physical conditions that can make getting a good night's sleep challenging, if not impossible. Those suffering from cancer and going through cancer treatments often experience side effects that make sleep nearly impossible. Other illnesses and conditions that make sleep difficult include heart disease, lung disease, diabetes, restless legs syndrome, arthritis, neuropathy, Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, overactive thyroid, and gastroesophogeal reflux disease (GERD).

• Medications. Many prescription medications cause an alarming number of side effects, which often include insomnia. Anti-depressants often a major culprit, but patients taking medications for heart disease, attention deficit disorder, and high blood pressure might often find getting a good night's sleep difficult. Over-the-counter medications, such as decongestants and weight-loss products, can also cause problems.

• Excess Caffeine, Alcohol or Nicotine. Coffee, soda, tea, alcohol and cigarettes can all cause problems for those trying to get to sleep at night, especially if they drink any of these products or smoke cigarettes anywhere near bedtime. Those suffering from insomnia are probably drinking coffee, tea and soda too late in the afternoon. While alcohol is a sedative, it disrupts different phases in a person's sleeping patterns.

A few other reasons that people might experience insomnia include travel, eating too much and too late at night, and simply developing poor sleeping habits by staying up too late at night on a continuing basis. 

Many options exist today for snorers and their families

For people with a snorer in their household, it’s hard to think that there could be any relief, short of bopping them with a pillow to wake them up or heading to a different room. Or both.

Especially since there are so many people who snore, or at least live with them. The American Academy of Otolaryngology, which specializes in head and neck surgery, reports that 45 percent of adults snore at least occasionally, and 25 percent are regular snorers.

The Sleep Foundation breaks this number out even further – 90 million sleepers snore occasionally and 37 million do so regularly.

Causes vary, but experts say factors include age (the muscles of the throat relax over time); gender (men snore more than women); alcohol use (this can relax the throat); and obesity (this leads to increased tissue in the body and respiratory challenges, and is a growing problem nationally.)

Though snoring isn’t necessarily harmful by itself, except to people trying to sleep nearby, it is also connected with sleep apnea, which is when the walls of the throat close so much that breathing actually stops. So instead of just being a noisy nuisance, it can become a serious threat to the body, causing everything from higher blood pressure to increased fatigue.

Luckily, there are several options for snoring and related sleep disorders Novato area.

• Lifestyle changes. The Mayo Clinic suggests that snoring can sometimes be reduced by stopping drinking, especially at bedtime; losing weight; or sleeping on one’s side instead of back.
• CPAP: A common treatment method is a mask attached to a machine that provides a steady flow of air to the noise and throat.
• Surgery. Snoring, especially in young children, can suggest problems with tonsils or adenoids. Snoring in someone who has never snored before may indicate possible tumors or obstructions of the throat.
• Appliances: People can receive devices in the jaws and teeth which expand the airway.

Today’s snorers can receive help from physicians and from dentists. Since dentists are familiar with the shape of one’s mouth and surrounding tissue, they may be in a stronger position to evaluate what could be causing snoring. They also can offer some solutions for those suffering from sleep apnea Novato, which can include everything from crafting the appliances to minimal surgery.

4 Common Myths About Snoring

Many people with sleep apnea and snoring problems may not even know that they suffer, because they are buying into some of the common myths about snoring. The reality is, there are many different reasons for sleep disorders in Novato and other Northern California residents. Learn more about common myths regarding sleep disorders snoring.

Myth #1: Only older adults experience snoring and sleep-related issues.

Some people believe that snoring happens to them as they age, or that the majority of snorers are overweight adults. While there is a correlation between age, obesity, and snoring, the reality is that people of all ages can snore. Additionally, many people who suffer undiagnosed from sleep apnea Novato are women, including women who are of a healthy weight. Bottom line: There is no minimum age for sleep issues, so anyone suffering from poor sleep may want to consider doing a sleep study to find out whether sleep apnea or excessive snoring is a problem.

Myth #2: People only snore when they have a stuffy nose.

Some people believe themselves to be occasional snorers, due to allergies or seasonal colds. While people are likely to snore when they are congested, the nose is not the only place where disruptive sleep noises arise. Many of these sounds come from the throat and tongue, meaning that nasal congestion plays a limited role. Nasal decongestants can thus not eliminate night noises.

Myth #3: Weight loss will help with snoring issues.

While it is a good idea to lose weight if obesity is a concern, the reality is that losing weight in and of itself will not suddenly turn a snorer into a non-snorer. The good news is, there are treatments for sleep apnea and snoring that can reduce and elminate night noises, help the snorer get a better night's sleep, and restore quality of life.

Myth #4: If you snore, you know it.

The reality is that many people who snore are not aware of this fact until someone in their life tells them about it. That is, unless they snore so loudly that they wake themselves up!

It is a myth to think that someone has to just learn to live with snoring or sleep apnea. These are incredibly disruptive to sleep and can take a toll on an individual's overall health and wellness with time. 

The Importance of REM Sleep

REM stands for "rapid eye movement". REM sleep is one of the most important stages of sleep when it comes to healing the body and calming the mind. For a person to be thoroughly rejuvenated after a full eight hours of sleep, they must have achieved a REM state several times over the course of the night.
Benefits of REM Sleep
When a person finally lapses into a REM sleep, their body begins to totally relax. The muscles release and blood is allowed to flow freely through almost every area of tissue. In this deep state of sleep, the body begins to rejuvenate itself by triggering healing responses that address micro tears in muscles, damage to connective tissues and injuries to joints and other areas of the body sleep apnea Novato.

REM states last anywhere from 70 to 90 minutes and can be repeated several times a night. During these periods of intense rest, the body re-energizes itself and helps to prepare the person for the next days' activities. The more REM states a person has each night, the more rested they feel the next day. If a person loses any REM sleep, the body tries to make up for it by lapsing into the REM state immediately the next time they fall asleep.
Sleep Disorders
Professionals who study sleep disorders Novato look to find ways to help people establish positive sleep patterns and alleviate problems that lead to insomnia. Stress is one of the most common causes of sleep problems. In Novato, one of the most common sleep disorders is obstructive sleep apnea.

Sleep apnea is a condition in which a person stops breathing while they are sleeping. In some cases, sleep apnea can cause a person to stop breathing upwards of 100 times in a single night. This dramatically lowers a person's blood oxygen levels causing fatigue, headaches and irritability.

Correcting sleep apnea with a CPAP machine and other techniques, allows a person to achieve the deep REM state of sleep they need to maintain good health. The more they are able to achieve that state, the fewer health problems they will have. This can take time to correct, but with constant use of the CPAP machine, the person can begin to live a more normal life.

Reduce Snoring, Sleep Apnea, and Other Sleep Disorders at a Snoring Center in Novato, California

For those that want to treat sleep apnea and sleep disorders in Novato, California, a patient should choose a snoring center that offers innovative treatment options for these conditions. This center may be located near San Francisco for convenient accessibility. 

Patients will be impressed with the comfort that these centers offer so that patients feel relaxed enough to receive a dentistry procedure to cut back on snoring.

Patients will receive these treatments from registered and specialized dental assistants with years of experience in procedures like endodontics, sedation dentistry, orthodontics, pedodontics, oral surgery procedures, periodontics, sleep disorders Novato, cosmetic dentistry, dental implants, and restorative dentistry.

If a patient has sleep apnea or other sleep disorders, these are typically caused by either nose or mouth issues and the way that a person breathes. 

If a patient drinks a lot of alcohol before they sleep, they may be more likely to snore for that night. However, other situations and conditions like nasal congestion, weight issues, and even the positioning of a patient's uvula can all cause snoring and sleep apnea.

Therefore, centers like these may treat such issues with a pillar palatal surgery. A patient need not worry though, because these centers may perform this surgery in about 20 minutes only with very little recovery time needed for the patient. In fact, the patient should be able to resume normal activities like conversing and even consuming food not too long after the surgery.

Patients will find that their sleep apnea and snoring should practically disappear over time. In some cases, it can take a few months for the patient's symptoms to vanish completely, but most of the time the patients notice that their snoring has stopped in much less time than that. When patients snore less or not at all, they get better sleep at night and can thus focus better during the day and increase their productivity at work and at home.

They also don't disturb their partner at night. Their quality of life will improve overall.

A patient that wants to book an appointment for a surgical procedure at a snoring center in Novato can use this center's website or reach staff by the phone.

If the patient does use the center's website, they can send an email to the center through the site where they can ask more about the procedure and their sleep apnea Novato. The patient can also book an appointment either by phone or online.

Understanding Sleep Disorders

Novato has a long history dating back to 1839, and the region around it has an even longer history. Of course, most of what we know about its history is well-documented. For residents of the city who suffer from sleep disorders Novato, their own history can be a little bit more mysterious. The reason? Because for many, sleep problems aren't even something they're aware of until long after they've begun. Whether it's something as serious as sleep apnea or as seemingly benign as snoring, sleep disorders are a real problem for Novato residents and millions throughout the country.

Understanding more about various sleep disorders is important since it can help you understand more about your own problems and how to overcome them.

Snoring

Snoring is often the source of plenty of jokes, but it can be a very real problem. It's estimated that about 45% of all adults snore from time to time, and for about one-fourth of them it's a regular occurrence. Snoring can cause several issues including:

·         Loss of sleep

·         Sore throat

·         High blood pressure

·         And more

Causes range from the formation of the body's airways to drinking too much and more, and overcome the problem could be very simple or a bit more complex.

Sleep Apnea

Sleep apnea Novato is a much more problematic issue, and one that could have some very serious repercussions. Basically, it's an issue wherein the person stops breathing for a period of time. It can last for seconds or for over a minute, and can occur numerous times within a set period of time.

About 12 million Americans are estimated to have this sleep disorder, and left unchecked it can lead to many health issues. Depending on the severity of the sleep apnea, various treatments may exist. These could include things like changing sleeping positions, medication adjustment, or even the use of ventilation machines to ensure the patient breathes during their rest. It's also possible to correct the problem through minor surgical procedures.

Currently, only a few medical experts are using a procedure known as the Pillar Palatal Procedure. In this procedure, implants are placed in the patient's soft palate. This helps to strengthen the palate, which in turn helps reduce the vibration that causes snoring. It's a procedure that takes only about 20 to 30 minutes, and the recovery time is almost immediate. It can give patients back their restful nights and even help their loved ones enjoy a long, full, regular sleep again.

Different treatments will work best for different patients, and no two cases are the same. Because of this, it's important that you take the time to visit a medical professional. They'll be able to help tell you more about what your treatment options are and which ones they feel are best suited to you.

If your loved one or even you have noticed that you may be suffering from a sleep disorder, you'll want to get help as soon as you can. Even though it can seem like a minor annoyance that you can live with, it's better to overcome the problem outright than to simply tolerate it.