Is Snoring Keeping Your Partner Awake
Does your spouse constantly nudge you at night because of your snoring? If so, you aren’t alone. Snoring affects nearly 90 million Americans. It’s commonly perceived to be a harmless habit, but snoring can be a major cause of conflict in a relationship. It can prevent your partner from getting enough sleep, threatening their health and making them feel drowsy, moody, and lethargic during the day. Additionally, those restless nights can increase the risk of separation and divorce.
That is why our expert sleep dentist is proud to offer effective snoring and sleep apnea solutions for patients in the Shelby, Bloomfield Hills, Rochester, and surrounding areas. Whether you need sleep apnea treatment or just a solution for snoring, our sleep dentist offers treatments to help you and your partner reclaim a peaceful night’s rest.
Sleep & Interpersonal Relationships
If your partner constantly complains of your nightly snoring, their health may be at risk. Quality sleep is essential to our physical and mental well-being. Our brains do so much during the day– from sustaining our bodies to responding to whatever outside stimuli we experience. During rest, our brains perform maintenance on our bodies and when our sleep is interrupted by disruptive events like snoring or sleep apnea, it halts this essential process.
The longer we go without good sleep, the higher the risk of developing a variety of health conditions including diabetes, stroke, heart disease, mood disorders, and more. Sleep deprivation can also impact cognitive function and mood, which can result in intimacy and communication problems for couples. Lack of sleep can also make your partner less focused and motivated, which may affect professional and other interpersonal relationships as well.
Don’t allow snoring to damage your relationship or threaten your health or the health of your partner. Here at Oakland Family Dental in Waterford, we feature a number of effective treatments to relieve your snoring, allowing you and your partner to sleep comfortably without interruption all through the night.
Our Personalized Snore Guards
Snoring is a sound produced by air being forced through airways restricted by excess tissues This restriction is commonly the result of the tongue falling back into the airway and creating an obstruction.
A snore guard is an oral appliance that eliminates snoring by slightly repositioning your jaw. This has the effect of opening up your airway, eliminating the source of the vibration. Our custom-fitted snore guards are made to be worn comfortably inside your mouth while you’re sleeping, ensuring a good night’s rest free of snoring or discomfort. You can take your snore guard anywhere and its unrestrictive design allows you to sleep in any position you please.
Snoring & Sleep Apnea
In addition to disturbing the people around you, loud snoring is a common symptom of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), which is a condition where the airway becomes blocked due to the muscles of the throat relaxing too much while you’re sleeping. If your heavy snoring is accompanied by OSA symptoms such as morning headaches, daytime fatigue, and irritability, then you could be suffering from sleep apnea. Almost three out of four people who snore are also suffering from sleep apnea, which is why a sleep study is so essential to ensure you get the treatment you need.
If you suffer from sleep apnea, not only are you at risk for the problems associated with sleep deprivation but also the added problem of oxygen deprivation which can lead to a host of health consequences if left untreated.
The Importance of Sleep Studies
Dr. Sheehan is likely to recommend a sleep study if she notices signs of sleep apnea. A sleep study, also known as a polysomnography, is an overnight evaluation to determine if a patient is suffering from sleep apnea.
Dr. Sheehan will ask you some questions about the quality of sleep you’ve been getting and she’ll also examine your mouth and airway for signs of sleep apnea. If there’s any reason to suspect sleep apnea, she’ll make sure you get the correct diagnosis from a qualified sleep physician.
A sleep study can be conducted at a Sleep Center, but you can also use a portable device to take your sleep study at home. Here at Oakland Family Dental, we can provide you with a WatchPAT as an easy, effective method of diagnosing your condition. This FDA-approved, portable device allows you to get the answers you need about your sleep troubles right in the comfort of your own home.
The WatchPAT is worn like a watch and connects to a technology that tracks your true sleep time. Once you’ve tracked your data, you can upload it online so a sleep physician can examine your results and deliver your diagnosis right away. Once you’ve been officially diagnosed with sleep apnea, you can return to our Waterford office to begin treatment with Dr. Sheehan.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can sleep apnea ruin a relationship?
While snoring in and of itself may not seem like a big issue, it can put a strain on relationships for a variety of reasons:
- Resentment — Having your partner wake you up every night can be increasingly frustrating. Chronic sleep deprivation can lead to feelings of constant exhaustion which may lead to holding your partner responsible for the sleep you’re lacking.
- Lack of bonding — Many couples resort to sleeping in separate rooms as the first line of defense against loud snoring. While it may help you get more sleep, it can harm feelings of intimacy and impact sex drive which can be challenging for couples.
- Communication issues — When you go without sleep, it can affect your mood and cognitive function. This can not only lead to moodiness but also affect the ability to concentrate and communicate effectively. You may find that conflicts that would normally be small become full-blown arguments.
Luckily, Dr. Sheehan offers effective solutions for snoring, allowing you and your partner to get the rest you deserve.
How do you sleep with someone who has sleep apnea?
Sleep apnea can make both partners sleep deprived which can make it hard to work together to support one another. If you’re partner snores it may be helpful to:
- Voice your concerns. Being honest in a non-accusatory way can help open the conversation. Letting your partner know about their snoring can also help protect their health.
- Make your bedroom more serene. The environment can impact sleep quality so taking steps to keep your room quiet, dark, and at a comfortable temperature can improve your sleep.
- Discuss lifestyle changes. Consider doing relaxing activities together before bed. Stretching, going on an evening walk, or taking a warm shower can help to get to sleep easier.
- Be patient with each other. Dealing with sleep apnea and snoring can take its toll on both partners. Your partner may experience challenges and negative feelings around their snoring and sleep apnea. Snoring is not within anyone’s control and while it can be frustrating, offering encouragement is the best approach to figuring things out together.
Fortunately, Dr. Sheehan offers comfortable, simple solutions for sleep apnea and snoring that can help save the health of you and your partner as well as improve your relationship.
Comfortable Snore Relief At Oakland Family Dental
Snoring can not only ruin your partner’s sleep and affect your relationship, but also it can indicate sleep apnea. Seeking a comfortable snoring solution can help you and your partner sleep easier. Our Michigan dentist can help patients and their partners in Shelby, Bloomfield Hills, Rochester, and the surrounding areas get better sleep. Contact our Waterford office at (248) 674-0384 to schedule a consultation with Dr. Sheehan or click the button to the right to fill out our contact form and a friendly team member will return your message shortly.