Ashford Clinic Blog
How Are You Sleeping?
Other than a lumpy and uncomfortable mattress, pregnancy or feeling generally achy in the muscles, sleep should be easy to come by. You should be able to set up a comfortable sleep space that makes you feel warm, toasty and ready to sink into a deep sleep cycle that sees you through until the morning. You should be waking up rested and ready to take on the day, with your body feeling relaxed and muscles comfortable.
Unfortunately, there are many reasons other than back pain that people cannot sleep or when they do, they cannot sleep very well. Snoring is a pain when you’re dealing with it from a partner, but did you know that snoring could be one of the biggest reasons you’re not resting enough at night? There are numerous disorders that can flare up at night and negatively affect your sleeping, here are a just few conditions that coule be affecting your sleep quality.
Snoring
It’s one of the most common forms of sleep disrupted breathing and it occurs when the muscles in the throat relax too much during sleep. There is an interruption in the air flow and the airways narrow, with the vibrations creating the sound of snoring. It can be constant or it may happen sporadically. Those at risk of snoring fall into the following categories:
- Overweight
- Large tonsils and adenoids blocking the throat
- Consumption of alcohol
- Sinus conditions
At Ashford Clinic, can help you to diagnose and treat your snoring issue, because snoring is often an indicator of an underlying condition with the ear, nose and throat. It’s not easy to deal with an obstruction in the air movement, but you can get the right help and treatment to get the quality sleep your body needs.
Sleep Apnea
Most people don’t think to seek the help of an ENT when it comes to sleep apnea, but they should. It’s caused by a collapse in the airway that lasts for more than 10 seconds at a time, meaning that you stop breathing entirely while you’re asleep. Given that you need to breathe to live, it makes perfect sense to seek the help of an ear, nose and throat doctor. At Ashford Clinic, we'll conduct a thorough examination and possibly additional tests and screenings to determine the root cause of your sleep issues.
Sinus Issues
Chronic sinusitis plays a huge part in your issues sleeping. Congestion and drainage issues aren’t exactly conducive to a good rest and the primary symptoms of chronic sinusitis may not always be obvious to you. These include:
- Nasal congestion
- Stuffiness throughout the day
- Mouth breathing
- Chronic Snoring
You can also experience anosmia and loss of taste – which is the worst part because this can take time to come back after you get over a cold or sinus infection. At Ashford Clinic, we specialize in treating chronic sinusitis and other sinus issues with thorough treatments like Balloon Sinuplasty.
Keeping cool while you sleep can really help you to sleep better. Especially if you have trouble staying asleep once you get there. Your bed or pillow being elevated can help to keep respiratory passages open. Staying elevated in a room that is temperate and the right pillows and blankets can help you to sleep better, but having your sleep issues evaluated is the best way to find relief and get the sleep you need. Give Ashford Clinic a call at 706-248-6860 to make an appointment.
