Do people complain about your snoring?
Do you often feel like you aren’t getting the best sleep possible?
You may have obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), which can cause breathing issues. If you like to drink, alcohol can actually worsen snoring and make it even harder to get a good night’s sleep.
What is Sleep Apnea?
Sleep apnea interrupts your breathing cycle while you sleep. It can cause you to snore or even stop breathing for a few seconds.
These interruptions can happen so fast that you don’t even wake up. However, the next day you wake up feeling like you got little to no sleep.
To get a good night’s sleep, you will need to see a sleep apnea doctor and get treatment.
Alcohol lengthens the time between you holding your breath and breathing again than if you’re sober. The extra time means that your oxygen levels drop and could even be deadly if it goes on for too long.
Alcohol can also relax the muscles in your throat, making your upper airway collapse. The vibrations in the soft tissue of your throat can cause snoring. When your upper airway is relaxed, it restricts your breathing.
Get Sleep Apnea Treatment
Should you avoid alcohol altogether? While that would be ideal, it’s also improbable for a lot of people. If you can try not to drink any alcohol a few hours before bed, that can lessen the effects on your body.
The best thing to do is to get sleep apnea treatment. You can see Dr. Mike Deldar, a sleep apnea dentist in Noblesville, for treatment options other than a bulky CPAP machine. He has a snoring mouthpiece that fits like a mouth guard that can help with snoring.
Feel free to call us. Or make an appointment page to learn more.
