Snoring can make you sleepy it can disrupt your sleep and disrupt your daily routine it can also harm your relationships. More than just an inconvenience, snoring could result in life-threatening effects.
If you’ve ever woken up by a loud snoreor if your partner pushes you awake to encourage you to lie down It’s likely that you’re affected by sleep apnea. It’s linked to elevated blood pressure, arrhythmia, stroke and heart failure..
Isn’t sleep apnea really just an euphemism for the sound of snoring?
Not at all. Snoring is the annoying sound that happens when air moves through relaxed tissues in your throat while you rest. Sleep breathing disorders like apnea are that causes breathing to frequently stops and starts again while asleep.
It’s not always the case that a person who snores suffers from sleep apnea. But those with sleep apnea snore frequently and often. A fifth of adults suffer at the very least, mild sleep apnea.
The most well-known kind is called obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) that occurs when weight placed on the neck and chest contributes to obstruction of breathing. Another less common type is central sleep apnea (CSA) is when the brain is unable to send signals regularly to the diaphragm , which causes it to contract and expand. CSA is associated with strokes in the brain stem.
Why is this such a big deal?
For those suffering from OSA it is difficult to keep the airway open in the night because the weight of the body overpowers the muscles that keep the airway open. When the airway is closed in the night, there’s an interruption in breathing. it may happen between five and 30 times per hour or more, which causes the person who is sleeping to wake up abruptly, gasping for air.
If air flow is cut off the body releases stress hormones that eventually can cause heart disease, which is the most common cause of deaths across the United States — stroke and high blood pressure. This can also increase the chance of developing the type 2 form of diabetes liver disorders, metabolic syndrome.
It’s also linked to overweight experts believe it’s an element of the vicious circle which the lack of sleep that it triggers can result in further weight gain which, in turn, can make the problem worse.
Are you at risk?
Overweight people are at a higher risk of developing OSA due to fat deposits that surround the upper airway could make the muscles of the airway decrease in tone as time passes, resulting in blocked breathing. In the same way, those with larger necks, narrow throats , or large adenoids or tonsils may be at risk.
Males are much more likely suffer from sleep apnea more than women and it is seen more frequently in older adults. It is also possible to have an increased risk among those who have a family history of sleep apneaor alcohol drinkers or smokers.
What are the warning signs?
In addition to loud snoring and abruptly breathlessness or gasping for breath during sleep (observed by an individual, clearly) the symptoms can appear like those of a sleep disorder.
The next morning, I wake up with dry mouth
Morning headaches
Trouble sleeping or excessive sleepiness
Inattention or difficulty paying attention in the present
What can I do to be 100?
The doctor will evaluate your symptoms, however you may require an experienced sleep physician to perform tests, like overnight checking your breath to determine the cause of your illness and determine the extent.
By using a test known as polysomnography, your physician can check your lung, heart, brain activity as well as other movements during your are asleep. This test helps to determine if you have any other sleep-related conditions like sleep-related narcolepsy or restless legs syndrome.
What is the treatment?
The most common treatments are Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) where an air-filled device delivers continuous air pressure via an air mask to the mouth or nose or a mouthpiece made to keep a person’s throat open.
If you’re suffering from an unaffected condition and are having trouble getting a good quality sleep, your doctor might suggest lifestyle changes for example:
Engage in regular physical exercise However, not before going to the bed time because it can get your adrenaline flowing and could cause you to be awake.
Limit drinking alcohol up to one drink every day for women or two for guys The excessive consumption of alcohol can interfere with sleeping.
Avoid caffeine before bed.
Create a routine before bedtime, for bedtime, such as taking a warm bath, turning down the lights, or sipping a cup of herbal tea.