Life in Miami Beach, Florida, is about fun, sun, and living the good life after a hard day’s work, so it’s no surprise that drinking alcohol is something that many Miami Beach residents enjoy quite often. Even though alcohol accompanies most of life’s festivities and celebrations, there is a downside to alcohol consumption, and that’s its negative effect on the human body.
While most everything enjoyed in moderation is safe, when it comes to alcohol, even the least little bit can affect your sleep. Even though many people insist alcohol improves their sleep, the science behind alcohol’s effects on the human body indicates quite the opposite. Not only does alcohol prevent you from getting a sound, restful night of sleep, but it also contributes to snoring in millions of people. If you or your partner is a chronic snorer, there is help available in the form of a Miami Beach,sleep apnea & snoring dentist.
Miami Beach residents of all ages, sizes, and genders are reaching out to their Miami Beach dentist for snoring treatment, but for many people, alcohol is causing their snoring problem. If you’re a woman who has a snoring problem and embarrassed by it, you are not alone. While men have been given a hard time for centuries for snoring loudly, snoring dentists in Miami Beach will now tell you that women snore and even children snore. If you’re a dog lover, you know your beloved fur baby snores, too!
The Physiology of Snoring
The physiology of snoring is actually quite interesting. Most people understand that alcohol is a depressant rather than a stimulant. Within 10-20 minutes of drinking alcohol, the body is affected; alcohol stays in the body for a pretty long time. Regardless of how much you drink, it will likely take up to 14 hours for the body to fully rid itself of the alcohol you’ve taken in. As the alcohol makes its way through the human body, muscles relax, and tension is eased; muscles inside the mouth and throat also relax, and this is how snoring is connected to alcohol consumption.
When the muscles in the throat become more relaxed, you’re more likely to snore because air blockages in the mouth, nose, and throat produce the sound we know as “snoring.” Alcohol relaxes the muscles so much that the tissue in the throat collapses and blocks your airway. When the tissue is collapsed, and the airway is blocked, your air passageway is no longer free and clear.
The more alcohol has relaxed your airway, the louder you will snore. Snoring is the sound produced when your airway is trying to force oxygen through a blocked airway. The muscles in the back of the throat close more quickly in someone who has drunk alcohol versus someone who has not drunk alcohol. The more you drink, the more relaxed your muscles become, and the more you will snore.
Snoring and Sleep Apnea
Miami Beach, Florida, sleep apnea dentists are able to treat both snoring and sleep apnea because the two are often connected. Many people who snore have sleep apnea, and people who have sleep apnea are likely loud snorers. It’s kind of like the chicken and the egg situation; researchers are still trying to figure out if snoring leads to sleep apnea or sleep apnea leads to snoring. Regardless of the cause/effect of these two sleep disturbances, it’s important to know that snoring and sleep apnea can both be treated in Miami Beach, Florida, without medications and without surgery.
You may have heard of CPAP, which stands for Continuous Positive Airway Pressure, as it has been the gold standard of sleep apnea treatment for many decades. Many people find the CPAP machine and mask bulky, uncomfortable, and loud, and that’s why it’s not for everyone.
Oral Appliance Therapy (OAT) is a more conservative and comfortable way to treat snoring and sleep apnea in Miami Beach. You can take your oral appliance (often referred to as a mouth guard) everywhere you go, and it’s highly effective in keeping your jaw in a forward position while you sleep to prevent airway blockages.
Get Snoring Treatment in Miami Beach, Florida
Miami Beach, Florida residents who are tired of snoring or tired of being told they snore, can get help right away. Please call SoBe Dentist™ at (305) 535-2225 to schedule a new patient evaluation or fill out our online contact form, and one of our sleep apnea/snoring dental team members will reach out shortly to answer questions or get you scheduled for a snoring evaluation in Miami Beach.
