Do you think that you're suffering from sleep apnea? If so, it will help to know the following things about this medical condition.
What Exactly Is Sleep Apnea?
Sleep apnea is when your upper airways are restricted when you are sleeping. It can cause you to stop breathing for a few seconds, where you'll then wake up to regain your breath before falling back asleep. It can happen so quickly that you do not even realize that it happened, but someone else that shares your bed will be startled by it and woken up as a result.
Since many people do not realize they have sleep apnea, they will not realize the frequency that it happens to them. Sleep apnea-related events may happen once or twice in a night, or it could happen dozens of times in an hour.
What Are The Symptoms Of Sleep Apnea?
There are a few common signs that you are suffering from sleep apnea. The sign that may be most noticeable to others is snoring while you are asleep, which is caused by those restricted airways. You'll also have these sudden events during the night where you are gasping for air. However, you'll also experience problems with being tired during the day, have a dry mouth, and headaches. Some people even report mood swings the next day as well.
What Makes You At Risk For Sleep Apnea?
You're likely wondering what makes you more at risk for having sleep apnea. Some common factors include being overweight or being a smoker, which is going to make it harder to breathe in general. If you have a history of sleep apnea in your family, that is going to put you more at risk of having it yourself. You are also more at risk if you take sedatives to help you sleep or sleep on your back. These are just a few of the reasons that you may be at risk of having sleep apnea.
What Are The Treatments For Sleep Apnea?
There are many lifestyle changes that you can try to treat sleep apnea, such as losing weight and sleeping on your side. However, there are dental appliances that you can wear at night that help open up your airways and prevent sleep apnea events from happening.
For more serious cases of sleep apnea, you can even wear a face mask at night that helps push air into your airways and makes it easier to breathe. While it may seem uncomfortable, many people with sleep apnea find that it has helped them sleep better at night.
Share13 January 2022
