Columnists

I can’t take it anymore! Sleep breathing disorders, including sleep apnea and heavy snoring, can have devastating health consequences, including decreased life expectancy, increased risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes, decreased cognitive function, etc., but what often goes unrecognized is the health effect it has on the partner in the relationship.
Sleep fragmentation is the term used to describe the disruption of normal sleep patterns. Sleep can be disturbed by movement, light, sound, pain and breathing disturbance, among other things, and the resulting poor quality sleep produces excessive fatigue or daytime sleepiness, decreased cognitive function, chronic pain, greater risk for automobile accidents, decreased work productivity, headache, depression and increased sympathetic nerve tone, which may manifest as high blood pressure. Patients with unmanaged sleep apnea often suffer from these symptoms. What should not come as a surprise when we think about it is that the bed partner can suffer these same symptoms when their sleep is disrupted on a regular basis.
An adult typically sleeps six to seven hours and may need even slightly more. By age 40, sleep becomes more fragile and we become more easily awakened, or at least suffer more from changes in sleep stages called “arousals,” where our brains bump from deeper levels of sleep to lighter levels resulting in fragmented and non-restful sleep. It is easy to understand how a partner’s heavy snoring, restless movement or gasping and choking for breath may begin to disturb a person more readily than it might at a younger age. Even the noise of a CPAP or other breathing machine used by a person suffering sleep apnea can be a culprit. Now, both of you are suffering.
Sleep allows us a means of physical recovery, memory enhancement, biochemical and emotional regulation. It is essential for good physical and mental health. Studies have demonstrated that normal, healthy persons who are intentionally sleep deprived will develop chronic pain symptoms. At the same time, people suffering from chronic pain often times have severely disrupted sleep patterns, so you can see the vicious cycle developing. Anyone who is suffering from chronic pain syndromes, including migraine headaches, should be evaluated for a possible sleep breathing disorder or other condition that may promote sleep fragmentation. Sleep disrupted by a partner who has a sleep disorder should be considered as part of a differential diagnosis. Sleep deprivation can also promote the tendency to develop depression issues and unfortunately, many antidepressant medications may interfere with normal deep, restful sleep patterns. Treating symptoms without a clear picture of the potential causes may result in overmedication and a less than effective treatment.
If you suffer from any of the classic signs and symptoms of sleep apnea, including excessive fatigue, heavy snoring interrupted by periods of not breathing followed by choking or gasping for breath, high blood pressure, chronic headache, acid reflux disease, or tooth grinding, do yourself a favor and be tested for a sleep disorder; if not for yourself, then do it for your partner who may be affected more than either of you know.
I often speak with people who suspect they may have a sleep breathing problem, but do not seek treatment, fearing they may be forced to use a breathing machine they have seen or heard of. Please do not let fear prevent you from having a diagnosis. Oral appliance therapy (OAT) is a convenient and effective alternative to the classic apnea therapy, which uses a CPAP machine. In fact, a recent study showed that OAT, when properly performed and adjusted, was as effective as the breathing machine for mild and moderate apnea. It is important to seek treatment from a dentist properly trained in dental sleep medicine and be aware that a “snore guard” is not the same as apnea management. There are only a small number of dentists in the state who are credentialed in this field and actually deliver therapy, which meets the standard of care set forth by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, even though many may advertise “apnea treatment.” Ask about academy memberships and credentials.
Give the gift of better sleep. It will likely improve your health and your quality of life, both night and day for both of you. QCBN

Dr. JC Goodwin has practiced general dentistry in Prescott since 1987. His practice includes same-day crown technology, surgical and non-surgical laser therapy, DNA testing for periodontal disease and apnea management for patients who are not able to use CPAP therapy. He created the Sleep Effect Center for Apnea Management in 2009. Dr. Goodwin is a member of the American Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine, and the Academy of Clinical Sleep Disorders Disciplines and holds Diplomate status in the ACSDD. He can be reached at 928-708-9444 or 928-778-4555.

As you might expect, I hear differing opinions on which of our local seasons is the best for planting. My suggestion is to check your weeds for the answer. It’s a fact that, like the weeds coming alive in the rest of the landscape, monsoon-drenched gardens take off with new growth. Rain is the best “natural” nurturer for all plant life

A full front yard remodel has taken over the Lain casa where patios, new irrigation, decorative walls, and soil preparation have been months in the making. Now, with the arrival of the monsoon rains, plants are going into the ground “fast-and-furious”. Dozens of plants have gone into the gardens with confidence that none will fail.

Because of the harsh environment, mountain planting is not easy. That’s why short cuts to the planting process greatly increase a plant’s mortality rate. Plant success is completely in the hands of the gardener, and that success often is attributed to a “green thumb” which in turn breeds confidence.

You too can have a green thumb’s confidence with these 6 easy steps:

Step 1 – Mountain roots grow just under the soil’s surface. Even taproots take a 90- degree turn soon after trying to send a taproot straight down. Don’t fight nature; work with it! The width of your planting hole should be three times the size of the plant’s root ball and just a little bit deeper. Remove rocks, old roots and other debris from the soil. Any detritus larger than a golf ball should be removed from the planting site. A properly prepared planting hole is the second most overlooked step when planting.

Step 2 – Composted mulch is essential in the planting hole. A plant bought from a garden center is grown in a soil-less mix and its roots will not take to a yuck-filled, sterile planting hole. Blend together one shovelful of mulch for every three shovels of native soil. Use this mixture to back fill around the plant’s roots. A new plant must adapt to the soil in its new landscape, but this blending ratio will insure that roots have a successful transition.

Step 3 – The most overlooked step in mountain gardening is guaranteeing new plants a consistent water source. Sprinkle a few “Aqua Boost Crystals” at the bottom of the planting hole and add some to your blended mulch/soil mixture. Water holding crystals will ensure water is accessible to the plant. They also greatly reduce the amount of water needed to keep the plant going. As the water boosting crystals shrink and swell with water they provide roots with the space they must have to breathe and grow.

Step 4 – Keep the roots exposed! Roots must breathe, so the roots you see exposed in the grower’s pot should remain exposed after planting. Do NOT cover them with any Step 2 planting mixture. Do pack the mixture firmly around the roots to eliminate air pockets.

Step 5 – Happy plants are hungry plants, especially when first planted. For your plant’s sake make sure to stay away from strong synthetic foods. Each of my new plants receives a light dose of “All Purpose Plant Food” 7-4-4, about one tablespoon for each gallon size of plant. For example: sprinkle 1 tablespoon of 7-4-4- food on top of a 1 gallon-sized planting, 5 tablespoons of 7-4-4 food sprinkled on top of a 5 gallon planting. A simple step to acquiring gardening confidence.

Step 6 – Transplanting a plant from its commercial container, nurturing and caring for it its entire life in your landscape is much like the mending and maintenance following the stress of open heart surgery. ‘Root & Grow’ is like a liquid antibiotic for new plantings. It minimizes the stress of transplanting and encourages healthy root growth. Add this rooting liquid to the plants’ normal water cycle at two-week intervals until new leaves and flowers make their debuts.

Weed advice – ‘Weed Beater Complete’ is an amazingly effective product that combines weed killing and the prevention of subsequent outbreaks. Simply spread like a dry fertilizer over weed colonies, it means certain death to the nastiest weeds. A weed free yard follows within days of application! This two-in-one product also kills weed seeds at the same time. Most thorough results are noticed when it is applied while weeds are young, small, and tender.

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Tiger Eyes Sumac – One of the many plants in my newly-planted gardens is the Tiger Eyes Sumac. Its new growth is a lively chartreuse green that soon changes to yellow, both colors contrasting nicely with the rosy-pink stems. As eye-catching as these knee-high summer colors are, the dramatic effect of yellow, orange, and intense scarlet in autumn is unparalleled. The branches angle upward while the deeply cut leaflets drape downward, giving this plant an oriental look. And this great companion plant to the blues of Russian Sage is absolutely animal proof!

Written by Ken Lain
Watters Garden Center