Sleep Apnea is a severe disorder of sleep where the breathing stops and restarts multiple times. This may adversely affect the sleep quality and the patient’s normal awake time. The biggest tell-tale sign of someone who might have sleep apnea is excessively loud snoring and feeling tired even after a whole night’s sleep. There are a few types of sleep apnea, which are as follows:
- Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA):
The most common form of sleep apnea occurs when the throat muscles relax normally and block airflow into the lungs, causing the breathing to stop and restart when they contract again.
- Central sleep apnea (CSA):
This type of sleep apnea occurs when the brain doesn’t send proper signals to the muscles that control breathing; thus, a problem with normal breathing occurs.
- Treatment-emergent central sleep apnea:
This type is also known as complex sleep apnea. This happens when someone initially has OSA, which was diagnosed with a sleep study. Eventually, when they receive therapy for OSA, it converts to CSA.
Persistent sleep apnea symptoms can lead to heart disease. If you resemble any of the above types, refer to your doctor swiftly; they can help you control this disease.
Symptoms of Sleep Apnea
Sometimes, it may be difficult to tell OSA from CSA because they have overlapping symptoms. The most common symptoms of obstructive and central sleep apneas include:
- Excessively loud and consistent snoring
- Breaks in breathing during sleep — reported by another person
- Gasping for air during sleep
- A very dry mouth after sleep
- Consistent headaches in the morning
- Insomnia
- Excessive daytime tiredness and sleepiness
- Unattentive during the day
- Increased irritability
Risk Factors of Sleep Apnea
Sleep apnea affects even children, men and women but men are at the highest risk. Following are a few risk factors whose presence may increase the chance of anyone having sleep apnea:
- Excess weight and high BMI
- Thicker neck circumference
- Being male
- Older age
- Smoking
- Nasal congestion
- Congestive heart disease
- PCOS
- Hormonal Disorders
Treatment of Sleep Apnea
A simple change in sleeping habits may bring you comfort for mild cases of sleep apnea. Try sleeping on your side as compared to on your back. There are also a few devices that can help you breathe uninterruptedly at night. CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) is a machine that uses mild air pressure to keep you breathing by keeping the airways open while you sleep. This device works well for many people but can be a hassle to keep up with for the rest of the night if you are a light sleeper.
Other than the machine, a few nasal sprays can help you stay asleep through the night. Your doctor will prescribe you a treatment that suits your condition the best.
Conclusion
In conclusion, sleep apnea can affect anyone and can go untreated for a long time without a proper diagnosis. If you know someone who snores excessively and has trouble breathing at night, recommend them to see a doctor. You may be helping them save their lives.
For more information on this topic, please reach out to us at RescueMD at 972-390-7667. We are an internal medicine, weight loss and women’s health practice. We serve Allen, Frisco, Mckinney, Plano, Dallas and surrounding areas. In addition to physicians, we also have registered dietitians and personal trainers on staff to treat and manage most cases.
