Sleep Apnea and Snoring
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What is sleep apnea?
Have you ever been told that you snore and keep others
awake? Have you ever awakened yourself from loud and
excessive snoring? Do you feel like you are not getting enough
sleep at night or wake up still tired? If so, then it is
possible you are suffering from sleep apnea. Apnea is Greek
work that means "without breath" and that is essentially what
is happening when you sleep.
Anyone of any age can get sleep apnea, even children.
However, there are certain conditions that make you more likely
to suffer from it. Some risk factors that increase your chances
of getting sleep apnea are excess weight, a thick neck
circumference, high blood pressure or hypertension, being male,
being a person over age 65, having a narrowed throat or
enlarged tonsils or adenoids, a family history of sleep apnea,
being a smoker, or using alcohol, sedatives or tranquilizers
before bed.
There are also certain conditions that can increase your
risk of having central sleep apnea. For example, if you are
male, if you live in high altitudes, if you have a heart
disorder such as atrial fibrillation or if you have had a
stroke or brain tumor, it will increase your risk. If you feel
you may have sleep apnea, see your doctor right away to find
out what kind of treatment works for you. Remember your sleep
is very important and if you can’t breathe, it will affect your
sleep.
Types of sleep apnea
There are two main types of sleep apnea--obstructive sleep
apnea and central sleep apnea. Both will have the same symptoms
but they are caused by different things. Obstructive sleep
apnea is the most common type and occurs when throat muscle
relax and obstruct breathing. Central sleep apnea happens when
the brain doesn’t send the right breathing signals out during
sleeping. Sleep apnea is more common in older adults than young
people and more common in men than in women.
Sleep apnea symptoms
What are some signs and symptoms that you may have sleep
apnea? Difficulty staying asleep or marked daytime sleepiness,
loud snoring, cessation of breathing during sleep, shortness of
breath, awakening due to cessation of breathing, morning
headaches, waking with dry mouth and sore throat are all some
common signs and symptoms of sleep apnea.
There are different types of sleep apnea treatment ensure
you get the proper sleep at night and that you continue
breathing properly. Some people undergo treatment to remove
tissue from certain areas like the nose, mouth or throat to
prevent obstruction and other people may need to use a
breathing device at night to keep breathing.
Some people with sleep apnea are not aware that their sleep
has been interrupted. They may wonder why they have fatigue and
feel sleepy throughout the day. Often the awakening during the
night is so brief, you may not remember it by the next morning.
Who gets sleep apnea?
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