Imagine: You come home after a long day and you’re so looking forward to that peaceful feeling of resting your head on your pillow and letting go as you drift into sleep. But if your partner suffers from sleep apnea and snoring, this may not be easy.
As soon as you close your eyes, you’re disturbed by a loud, growling sound next to you. You end up lying awake all night listening, tossing and turning, covering your ears with your pillow. Then your alarm clock goes off and it’s time to get ready for another work day.
You may even think that your partner got lots of rest while you spent the night miserably trying to sleep. However, just because your partner slept, doesn’t mean they are well rested. If they were not getting enough oxygen, because of sleep apnea, they may spend the day miserably trying to stay awake.
How Sleep Apnea and Snoring Are Hurting Your Relationship.
A common theme of relationships where one partner snores is sleeping in separate rooms. In many of Dr. Moreau’s sleep apnea consults, patients say one big reason they are seeking treatment is to get their spouse back in the bed.
The sound of snoring, and sometimes the CPAP machine, can make it difficult to get or stay asleep. A partner desperate for sleep may be forced to retreat to a guest room or couch.
According to research, sleeping with your partner promotes many health benefits, such as lowering stress hormones, increasing the amount of oxytocin released (which helps with digestion), increased warmth while you sleep, and lower blood pressure.
Besides your bed partner’s ability to sleep, another possible casualty of sleep apnea is intimacy. A side effect that men suffering from sleep apnea sometimes experience is erectile dysfunction, which can make physical intimacy with your partner difficult or impossible.
What Causes Obstructive Sleep Apnea and Snoring?
Tissue. The sound itself is your tissue and sinuses vibrating as air squeezes past on the way to your lungs. Snoring often occurs when your body relaxes in sleep and your lower jaw falls back, pushing your tissue into your airway, causing an obstruction. This prevents the needed amount of oxygen from entering your body, and sometimes fully cuts of the ability breathe.
How Can I Treat Obstructive Sleep Apnea and Snoring?
Seek help. Ask your primary care physician or your dentist if he or she has expertise in dental sleep medicine. A knowledgeable dentist or your primary care physician should be able to make a referral to a Board Certified Sleep Physician. Depending on your specific case and diagnosis, your Sleep Doctor could prescribe one of a few different options: CPAP machine, surgery, or a custom fitted oral appliance. From there, success of treatment depends solely on patient compliance.
Though the CPAP is the gold standard in sleep treatment, the custom fitted appliance (a specially designed mouthguard that comfortably holds your jaw forward during sleep) statistically has the best compliance. It’s compact, discreet, easy to travel with, and most importantly, effective.
CPAP: Not Sexy, Comfortable, or Convenient.
Let’s face it, no one sees a CPAP and
thinks “romance”. Plus, the sound can be disrupting and the size can make getting through airport security more difficult when traveling.
MoreSMILES offers a quiet, portable appliance that, in many cases, can replace the CPAP machine. This mouth guard style, custom fitted appliance holds your jaw forward during sleep to prevent obstruction of your airway. Over a few appointments, Dr. Moreau slowly titrates your appliance to comfortably hold your lower jaw in the position that allows you to breathe during sleep. He may even be present during a sleep study with your appliance.
During your initial sleep apnea consult, Dr. Moreau may refer you to a Certified Sleep Physician for a first or updated sleep study. Depending on the date of your most recent sleep study, insurance may require you to take a new one.
Dr. Moreau works with your Certified Sleep Physician to monitor your progress. With an expertise in TMJ disorder and the latest in 3D X-ray imaging, Dr. Moreau monitors your jaw joints before and during titration. 3D imaging also allows him to see the airway obstruction, ensuring you’re a good oral appliance candidate.
As a member of the American Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine, Dr. Moreau is continuously expanding on and improving his knowledge and procedures. His objective is to treat his patients and this serious condition with the most updated knowledge and technology.
This appliance comes in several different forms, is FDA and TSA approved, portable, quiet, and comfortable. Your medical insurance could approve coverage, even if you already own a CPAP machine.
Start the Treatment Process Today!
Those diagnosed with or afraid they have obstructive sleep apnea, should contact MoreSMILES today. Our 5-star certified team will work with you to schedule your initial sleep apnea consult with Dr. Moreau. Your appointment can be reserved for a time as early as next day or within the same week.