Don’t take your snoring lightly... it’s a sign of sleep apnea, a serious sleep disorder. You! takes a look...
health
Don’t take your snoring lightly... it’s a sign of sleep apnea, a serious sleep disorder. You! takes a look...
Many people treat snoring as a joke or something to feel embarrassed about. But loud snoring - especially when accompanied by daytime fatigue - may be a sign of sleep apnea, a common disorder in which breathing repeatedly stops and starts as you sleep. Sleep apnea can leave you feeling exhausted during the day, affect your mood and your relationship with your bed partner, and even be dangerous to your health.
Sleep apnea is a serious sleep disorder that occurs when a person’s breathing is interrupted during sleep. People with untreated sleep apnea stop breathing repeatedly during their sleep, sometimes hundreds of times. This means the brain - and the rest of the body - may not get enough oxygen.
There are several types of sleep apnea, but the most common is obstructive sleep apnea. This type of apnea occurs when your throat muscles intermittently relax and block your airway during sleep. A noticeable sign of obstructive sleep apnea is snoring. Loud snoring can keep those around you from getting good rest and eventually disrupt your relationships. Some partners may even choose to sleep in another room. Sleep apnea is most common in adults ages 40 - 60 years old. For women the risk of sleep apnea increases with menopause.
Symptoms
Signs and symptoms of obstructive sleep apnea include:
Risk factors
Obesity: Obesity is a particular risk factor for sleep apnea. Obesity can contribute to sleep apnea when fat deposits fill throat tissue.
Smoking: Smokers are at higher risk for apnea. Those who smoke more than two packs a day have a risk 40 times greater than nonsmokers.
Alcohol: Alcohol use may be associated with apnea. Patients diagnosed with sleep apnea are recommended not to drink alcohol before bedtime.
Diabetes: Diabetes is associated with sleep apnea and snoring. It is not clear if there is an independent relationship between the two conditions or whether obesity is the only common factor.
Large neck size: Your risk for sleep apnea is higher if you have a neck size of 17 inches or more for men, or 16 inches or more for women. A large neck has more soft tissue that can block your airway during sleep.
Hypertension: High blood pressure is extremely common in people who have sleep apnea.
A family history of sleep apnea: If you have family members with obstructive sleep apnea, you may be at increased risk.
It is dangerous: The more severe the obstructive sleep apnea, the greater the risk of coronary artery disease, heart attack, heart failure and stroke. Some research has found a connection between obstructive sleep apnea and certain eye conditions, such as glaucoma.
Treatment
While a diagnosis of sleep apnea can be scary, it is a treatable condition. In fact, there are many things you can do on your own to help, particularly for mild to moderate sleep apnea.
Lose weight: People who are overweight have extra tissue in the back of their throat, which can fall down over the airway and block the flow of air into the lungs while they sleep. Even a small amount of weight loss can open up your throat and improve sleep apnea symptoms.
Quit smoking: Smoking contributes to sleep apnea by increasing inflammation and fluid retention in your throat and upper airway.
Avoid alcohol: Sleeping pills, and sedatives, especially before bedtime, because they relax the muscles in the throat and interfere with breathing. Avoid caffeine and heavy meals within two hours of going to bed.
Exercise regularly: As well as helping you lose weight, regular exercise can have a major effect on the duration and quality of sleep. Aerobic and resistance training can help reduce sleep apnea symptoms, while yoga is also good for strengthening the muscles in your airways and improving breathing.
Visit to a doctor is mandatory: If you suspect you may have sleep apnea, the first thing to do is see your doctor. Bring with you a record of your sleep, fatigue levels throughout the day, and any other symptoms you might be having. Ask your bed partner if he or she notices that you snore heavily, choke, gasp, or stop breathing during sleep. Be sure to take an updated list of medications, including over the counter medications.
Overnight stay in hospital or sleep centre: One of the most common methods used to diagnose sleep apnea is a sleep study, which may require an overnight stay at a sleep centre or hospital. The sleep study monitors a variety of functions during sleep including sleep state, eye movement, muscle activity, heart rate, respiratory effort, airflow, and blood oxygen levels. This test is used both to diagnose sleep apnea and to determine its severity. Sometimes, treatment can be started during the first night in the sleep center.
CPAP: The treatment of choice for obstructive sleep apnea is continuous positive airway pressure device (CPAP). CPAP is a mask that fits over the nose and/or mouth, and gently blows air into the airway to help keep it open during sleep. This method of treatment is highly effective. Using the CPAP as recommended by your doctor is very important.
