Could you be suffering from sleep apnea?

Sleep apnea is a common disorder in which you have one or more pauses in breathing or shallow breaths while you sleep. Breathing pauses can last from a few seconds to minutes. They may occur 30 times or more an hour. Typically, normal breathing then resumes, sometimes with a loud snort or choking sound.

 

Sleep apnea usually is a chronic condition that disrupts your sleep. When your breathing pauses or becomes shallow, you will often move out of deep sleep and into light sleep. As a result, the quality of your sleep is poor, which makes you tired during the day. Sleep apnea is a leading cause of excessive daytime sleepiness.

 

Sleep apnea often goes undiagnosed. Doctors usually can't detect the condition during routine office visits. Also, no blood test can help diagnose the condition. Most people who have sleep apnea don't know they have it because it only occurs during sleep. A family member or bed partner might be the first to notice signs of sleep apnea and may in turn lead you to get sleep apnea treatments.

 

The most common type of sleep apnea is obstructive sleep apnea. In this condition, the airway collapses or becomes blocked during sleep. This causes shallow breathing or breathing pauses. When you try to breathe, any air that squeezes past the blockage can cause loud snoring.

 

Obstructive sleep apnea is more common in overweight people but it can affect anyone. For example, small children who have enlarged tonsil tissues in their throats may have obstructive sleep apnea.

 

Sleep apnea is a serious and difficult sleep disorder. 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. So it is necessary to look for sleep apnea solutions.

 

Common sleep apnea symptoms include:

 

·         Waking up with a very sore and/or dry throat

·         Loud snoring

·         Occasionally waking up with a choking or gasping sensation

·         Sleepiness or lack of energy during the day

·         Sleepiness while driving

·         Morning headaches

·         Restless sleep

·         Forgetfulness, mood changes, and a decreased interest in sex

·         Recurrent awakenings or insomnia

 

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