Snoring & Sleep Problems in Syracuse, NY
Just as eating and drinking water are vitally important to our health and well-being, so too is sleep. You may hear a coworker in the break room making jokes about a bad night’s sleep while pouring another mug of coffee, or see funny cartoons talking about the plight of another sleepless night, but sleep disorders are no laughing matter. The CDC has even recognized interrupted or poor sleep as a public health epidemic.
Many sleep problems are due to sleep-disordered breathing (SDB), a generalized term for breathing problems that occur while asleep. SDB can be anything from loud snoring to obstructive sleep apnea, a sleep disorder in which the airways become partially or completed obstructed during sleep. This obstruction can cause the patient to stop breathing several times throughout the night, which results in grogginess upon waking and excessive daytime exhaustion.
Normal Breathing During Sleep
Normally, air passes through the nose and past the flexible structures in the back of the throat such as the soft palate, uvula and tongue.
During sleep the muscles relax but, normally, the airway stays open.
Snoring
Snoring is created by the vibration of the pharyngeal soft tissues and the epiglottis as air passes through an airway that is too small to allow for smooth, unrestricted flow.
What’s the big deal, everyone snores?
Not everyone, but it is estimated that over 80% of Americans snore. Most cases are a result of a sleep disorder and snoring is indicative of a greater problem. This problem is a very common sleep disorder called sleep apnea.
Do you or a loved one deal with some serious snoring issues? It may be a sign you have sleep apnea. Snoring and sleep apnea can cause serious disruptions to sleep and also severely impact your health. Contact Atwal Sleep & Wellness Center to make an appointment so that you, and your partner, can start getting better sleep.