Learn the signs of Sleep Apnea.
Different from regular snoring, sleep apnea can cause health issues if left untreated
What causes Sleep Apnea?
What is Sleep Apnea?
There are three main types of sleep apnea, but the most common is obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). When we sleep, the throat relaxes. For people with OSA, sometimes they relax so much that the airway becomes narrowed or blocked. As a result, air flow is reduced or completely stops flowing into the upper airway and the lungs, so the body doesn’t get the oxygen it needs to function.
What are the symptoms of Sleep Apnea?
You usually won’t notice your first symptoms of obstructive sleep apnea. Instead, your bed partner may make you aware of them. The most common signs and symptoms are:
- Snoring
- Fatigue
- Excessive Daytime Sleepiness
- Restlessness while sleeping or regular nighttime awakenings
- Dry mouth or sore throat
- Waking up suddenly with gasping or choking
- Trouble concentrating, forgetfulness, or crankiness
- Depression or anxiety
- Constant need to urinate at night
- Night sweats
- Sexual dysfunction
- Headaches
How is Sleep Apnea diagnosed?
The most sure way to diagnose Sleep Apnea is with a sleep study.
Your doctor will want to rule out any other possible reasons for your symptoms before diagnosing you with sleep apnea, and will preform a medical exam and take into account any medications or conditions on your chart.
When diagnosed, your doctor will refer you to a sleep specialist like Sleeptopia for a sleep study.
Sleep studies are at-home tests that will:
- Identify any events during sleep that are related to sleep apnea (when your breathing stops or slows down as you sleep)
- Find low or high levels of activity in muscles that control your breathing
- Examine Blood Oxygen levels while you sleep
- Monitor brain and heart activity while you sleep
How is Sleep Apnea treated?
If your doctor finds that you have sleep apnea, they’ll suggest treatment based on how serious your condition is. For mild cases, you may only need to make lifestyle changes. They may ask you to lose weight, stop smoking, or treat nasal allergies.
If these don’t ease your symptoms or if you have a moderate to severe case of sleep apnea, your doctor will recommend other treatments:
- CPAP Machine
- BiPAP Machine
- Supplemental Oxygen
- Mouth Guards
Am I at risk for Sleep Apnea?
This condition can affect anyone, but some things put you more at risk:
- Being overweight
- Large neck circumference
- A narrowed airway due to large tonsils or adenoids
- Being male
- Older age
- Family history of sleep apnea
- Smoking
- Use of alcohol, sedatives, or tranquilizers
- Nasal congestions
- Medical conditions such as diabetes, congestive heart failure, high blood pressure, asthma, strokes, or hormonal disorders.
All information provided by Web MD.
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