While snoring does not always mean you suffer from sleep apnea, it is often a significant symptom. Obstructive sleep apnea occurs when your airways close as you sleep, resulting in hundreds of incidents in a single night where you stop breathing. Other signs of sleep apnea can include gasping for air as you sleep, awakening with a dry mouth or morning headache, feeling exhausted even though you slept through the night, and mood swings.
Obstructive sleep apnea is dangerous because it can result in many episodes each night where you cannot breathe and some long-term effects it can lead to. You could find that you are chronically exhausted yet still must go on with your day. That includes getting behind the wheel of your car, where you could also be putting others in danger if you (for instance) happen to dose off. Other long-term health effects of obstructive sleep apnea can include:
- Heightened blood pressure
- Reduced ability to concentrate
- Weakened immune system
- Breathing troubles, including asthma
- Memory loss
- Decreased blood oxygen levels
- Heart and liver problems
HELP EASE YOUR SNORING WITH THE SOLEA SLEEP LASER
Do you suffer from restless sleep or keep your partner up at night due to snoring? Snoring is a widespread condition that is now treatable thanks to the Solea dental laser. Snoring is also a symptom of obstructive sleep apnea, a severe condition that occurs when your airway closes as you sleep. Solea Sleep is a simple in-patient, non-surgical laser procedure offered by Dr. Sandra Vukovic, which takes about five minutes to complete and will provide you with rapid relief from snoring so that you and your partner get a great night’s rest.
HOW DOES SOLEA SLEEP WORK?
When we breathe, air is taken in and passes along the soft palate and uvula. Your throat muscles work to hold the soft palate, uvula, the back of the tongue, and tonsils in place so this air can pass through unobstructed. These muscles relax a bit when you sleep but should remain tight enough to hold your airway open. When you snore, it is because these muscles have relaxed a bit too much, allowing your airway to become slightly or moderately obstructed. When this occurs, the tissues vibrate, producing the sound we all recognize as snoring.
The Solea Sleep laser treatment gently tightens these tissues in your soft palate with the intent of reducing the vibrations that produce snoring noises. The procedure is performed within a single visit, is non-surgical, and will have you sleeping soundly (and quietly) in no time!
Sleep apnea is incredibly detrimental to your health. You should see your doctor immediately. Snoring and sleep apnea are closely linked. If you want to ease your snoring or eliminate it altogether, you should learn more about the Solea Sleep laser treatment. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Sandra Vukovic at Wolfy Dental Group, please call (203) 902-3629 today.
