Snoring and Sleep Apnea
A tale as old as time: Your partner snores loudly, and you barely get any sleep. You joke about it, but it is serious. You may even be sleeping in separate rooms, arguing about it, and having daytime sluggishness. If your partner snores loudly and you are tired (literally) of it, there is something you can do. Keep reading to learn more about snoring and sleep apnea, and what to do if your partner snores loudly.
What is Sleep Apnea?
According to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, sleep apnea is a common condition in which your breathing stops and restarts many times while you sleep. This can prevent your body from getting enough oxygen. You may want to talk to your healthcare provider about sleep apnea if someone tells you that you snore or gasp during sleep, or if you experience other symptoms of poor-quality sleep, such as excessive daytime sleepiness.
There are two types of sleep apnea.
- Obstructive sleep apnea happens when your upper airway becomes blocked many times while you sleep, reducing or completely stopping airflow. This is the most common type of sleep apnea. Anything that could narrow your airway such as obesity, large tonsils, or changes in your hormone levels can increase your risk for obstructive sleep apnea.
- Central sleep apnea happens when your brain does not send the signals needed to breathe. Health conditions that affect how your brain controls your airway and chest muscles can cause central sleep apnea.
What Should I Do About My Partner’s Snoring?
Snoring can cause a host of issues other than just being loud, distracting, and annoying. The side effects of snoring include:
- Daytime sleepiness
- Sore throat
- Relationship problems
- Restless sleep
- Trouble concentrating
- High blood pressure
- Irregular heartbeat
- Gasping or choking during sleep
About Dr. Krissy Connor, Advanced Sleep and TMJ Solutions
Luckily, you can treat persistent, loud snoring without using a large, uncomfortable CPAP machine.
Dr. Krissy Connor received her BSN in 2001 at the Marquette University School of Nursing. She was an emergency room nurse at Aurora Sinai Medical Center for three years before attending the Marquette University School of Dentistry to receive her DDS degree in 2008. She completed a post-graduate residency in Advanced Education in General Dentistry at the Zablocki VA Medical Center in Milwaukee, WI. Her background as a nurse motivated her to seek an area of dentistry where she could use her wide variety of skills and clinical experience to serve her community better. She has been collaborating with physicians to treat patients with Obstructive Sleep Apnea using oral appliance therapy since 2014.
Beyond her accomplishments, Dr. Connor is a mother to three beautiful daughters. Her husband, Dr. Michael Connor, is a Neurologist who shares in her passion for healthcare.
Dr. Connor has been improving patients’ lives as the owner of Hypnos Inc. in Brookfield, WI. She is a diplomate of the American Board of Dental Sleep Medicine and the American Sleep and Breathing Academy.
Learn more at advancedsleepandtmjsolutions.com!
