It’s Barnaby again, and I’d like to follow up on my previous post about sleep apnea treatments. In order to know that you need a sleep apnea treatment, it is first required that you be able to recognize sleep apnea symptoms. Sleep apnea is a condition which entails the cessation of breathing multiple times during the course of the night. This leaves those who have sleep apnea waking up gasping for breath over and over — which obviously does not lend to a good night’s sleep. If you experience the following sleep apnea symptoms, then you should strongly consider getting a sleep apnea test in order to ascertain whether you are suffering from this condition:
- Excessive and loud snoring
- Waking up gasping for breath
- Daytime sleepiness and difficulty concentrating
- Night time dry or sore throat
- Frequent headaches upon awakening in the morning
It is quite possible that having only one — or two — of these sleep apnea symptoms does not mean that you have sleep apnea. Obviously, everyone who snores does not have sleep apnea, nor does experiencing morning headaches indicate the presence of sleep apnea. However, when several symptoms appear together, then the odds that sleep apnea is the culprit rise. A sleep apnea test can be administered either at your home or at a health care facility. In some scenarios, this test might take all night — but it is well worth it in order to determine if you have this condition. Left untreated, sleep apnea can lead to much more serious medical conditions. Addressing sleep apnea symptoms at their onset helps reduce the chances of anything more serious ensuing — so if you feel that some of these sleep apnea symptoms apply to you, then get a sleep apnea test sooner rather than later.
Hi everyone — Barnaby here again. It’s been a few days since I’ve shared my ongoing insomnia saga with you, my apologies for that. Suffice to say, things have not gotten any better. The other day when I lasted posted I was about to try sleeping pills one more time. As feared, that was a disaster. No nightmares this time, but after getting a few hour’s worth of sleep I was completely dysfunctional. I even had to stay home from work and miss and important staff meeting which didn’t go over well with my boss whatsoever. This prompted my wife to insist that I see yet another doctor, and this one wants me to have a sleep apnea test. My previous research led me to believe that sleep apnea was not the cause of my insomnia, but this doctor wants to rule it out for sure.
Sleep apnea is a condition where you stop breathing for short (or sometimes longer up to 30 seconds) periods. This causes you to awaken while gasping for breath — obviously not conducive to a good night’s sleep. Last night I got around 3 hours of sleep in total — which is around average over the past several weeks since my insomnia first started. I am almost hoping that the sleep apnea test comes back positive — at least then I’ll know what the issue is. The doctor told me that the official name for this test is polysomnography. It involves monitoring my breathing and vital statistics while (if) I sleep. I have to spend tonight at the clinic where they’ll hook me up to this machine and record all of my movements.
Hopefully, I’ll be able to sleep at all while hooked up to all those wires. The doctor assured me that a sleep apnea test is completely painless, so I’m not worried. Suz offered to spend the night at the clinic, but they advised against it. She has been really supportive during my insomnia crisis, I really don’t know what I’d do without her. Well, I’m not sure whether to ask you to root for me to pass or fail the test. Sleep apnea sounds scary, but at least there are cures and I can solve my sleep issues once and for all. I’ll update everyone once I get the test results.
Sleep apnea is a condition which entails the inability to breath for short periods during the course of a night’s sleep. These episodes of sleep apnea can occur many times throughout the night — with some sufferers sleep apnea episodes can number into the hundreds on a nightly basis. There are many symptoms of sleep apnea, and they can vary by the individual. Daytime sleepiness is among the most common symptoms of sleep apnea, and those who wake up each morning still feeling tired could very well trace their problems back to sleep apnea. Memory loss and trouble concentrating are also symptoms of sleep apnea, and in the most extreme cases others will note a distinct personality change in those who experience sleep apnea.
Approximately 50% of those who have sleep apnea report having morning headaches which presents for another clue to the presence of sleep apnea. Arising multiple times during the night to urinate is also among the symptoms of sleep apnea, but in some circumstances this can be due to bladder problems as opposed to a sleep disorder. Loud snoring or choking spells while you sleep are also telltale symptoms of sleep apnea, however, it is often incumbent upon your partner to notice these type of symptoms of sleep apnea seeing you are asleep and will not take note of them.
As for children, common symptoms of sleep apnea include bed wetting, excessive snoring or a sudden drop in performance in school. Daytime drowsiness is also present within young sufferers of sleep apnea as well as adults with the condition. In isolation, many of these symptoms can be indicative of conditions other than sleep apnea, however, they all provide clues that sleep apnea may be present. Left untreated, sleep apnea can lead to a variety of adverse health effects, and it is paramount to take corrective actions sooner rather than later. Many sleep apnea treatments are quite easy — if you aren’t getting a full night’s sleep the first step is to ensure that sleep apnea is not the culprit.
Sleep apnea is a medical condition which impacts your breathing while you sleep. This condition causes you to briefly cease breathing — again and again — throughout the night as you sleep. Not only does this result in a poor night’s sleep, but it can also trigger other more serious conditions including hypertension and even heart attacks and strokes. When left untreated, sleep apnea has the proclivity to get progressively worse. Consequently, it is very important to ascertain whether you have sleep apnea, and fluency with the main sleep apnea statistics can help you make this determination.
Sleep apnea statistics show that up to 20 million Americans suffer from sleep apnea to some degree. Those on the lower end of the spectrum experience only 1-2 episodes per night with an average duration of under 10 seconds. Those with more severe sleep apnea can have over 10 instances of apnea during the course of an average night, and these episodes can last up to 30 seconds leaving the sufferer gasping for breath before falling back asleep — only to be awoken shortly thereafter by another episode. Oftentimes, you don’t even remember any of the apnea episodes upon awakening, and you suffer being tired all day without a clue as to the reason why.
In terms of gender, sleep apnea statistics show that males are far more likely to have it as compared to females. 24% of all men experience sleep apnea while only 9% of women have the condition. This changes for women experiencing menopause which is the most likely time for females to experience sleep apnea episodes. Knowing these sleep apnea statistics allows you to be cognizant of the signs and know when it is time to act.
Sleep apnea is a condition where those who suffer from it have short instances of breathing cessation while they sleep. These brief periods without breathing can occur a multiplicity of times throughout the night. This can adversely effect the quality of your sleep, and in the worst scenarios sleep apnea can lead to a host of more serious medical conditions. There are a variety of available cures for sleep apnea, and the most appropriate one for you depends upon the severity and type of your particular manifestation of sleep apnea.
Some cases of apnea arise due to your sleeping position. This enables one of the easiest cures for sleep apnea, and it is commonly called “positional therapy”. This sleep apnea cure simply entails changing your sleeping position so as to prevent obstruction of your airway. Most commonly this equates to ensuring that you do not sleep on your back in that sleeping in this supine position has been shown to constrict muscles resulting in a narrower airway. Positional therapy can be effectuated by creative home remedies like putting some tennis balls in a tube sock sewn to the back of you sleeping shirt, or alternatively by purchasing a wide range of commercially sold sleep products designed to prevent you from sleeping in the supine (on your back) position.
One of the most salient cures for sleep apnea is to lose weight. Many cases of apnea are tied to weight gain which ends up creating airway blockages. Losing weight is obviously beneficial in many regards, but it often is of paramount importance when it comes to treating sleep apnea. Also on the list of possible cures for sleep apnea is to avoid the consumption of alcohol or medications which serve as central nervous system depressants prior to going to sleep. These CNS depressants can trigger muscles to constrict thus blocking smooth air flow much akin to what can arise from sleeping in the supine position.
Should these cures for sleep apnea not work, there are several others which can be tried depending upon the severity of your sleep apnea symptoms. Special oral devices can be provided by your dentist which facilitate an open airway. A continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) mask is sometimes indicated in severe cases of sleep apnea. In the most severe cases of sleep apnea, surgical procedures might be warranted. Before these more drastic cures for sleep apnea are entertained, it is best to exhaust all other available less invasive techniques. If you are suffering from sleep apnea, then it is important to explore the available cures and take the necessary steps to protect yourself against the potentially serious sleep apnea side effects.
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