Sleep apnea is a disorder that causes your breathing to start and stop repeatedly during sleep. Lack of oxygen due to breathing stoppage triggers survival reflexes, which keep you awake enough to continue breathing. The reflexes save your life but disrupt your sleep cycle and hinder restful sleep. Lack of restful sleep can have serious effects, such as subjecting your heart to stress.
Types of Sleep Apnea
- Obstructive slumber apnea is the most common type that occurs when your throat muscles relax.
- Central slumber apnea occurs when your brain fails to send the right signals to your breathing muscles.
- Treatment-emergent central slumber apnea or complex snooze apnea syndrome occurs when you have both central and obstructive slumber apnea.
Symptoms of Sleep Apnea
It may be difficult to detect slumber apnea unless you have someone to monitor the symptoms when you are asleep. The symptoms and signs of central and obstructive doze apnea are similar, and only a doctor can help determine your type of apnea. The following are common symptoms of doze apnea:
Waking up Feeling Exhausted
If you have snooze apnea, you are likely to wake up every morning feeling tired, even if you have slept the whole night. Fatigue occurs because repeated disrupted breathing causes your body to waste energy. Lack of sufficient oxygen supply to your muscles and brain also causes vital organs to struggle to function.
Feeling Sleepy During the Day
Due to a lack of restful sleep at night, obstructive snooze apnea patients mostly suffer from severe daytime drowsiness, irritability, and fatigue. They may find concentrating challenging and mostly fall asleep while watching TV, at work, or driving.
Snoring
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Snoring is the most apparent sign of doze apnea, but it doesn’t happen to everyone. Some snooze apnea patients don’t snore at all. In obstructive apnea, snoring occurs due to blockage of the upper airway, which disrupts airflow.
If you suspect you have doze apnea without snoring, you can look out for other daytime symptoms and abnormal sleep behaviors that include:
• Frequent naps
• Fatigue
• Headaches
• Gasping
• Nocturia
Mood Changes
Sleep apnea patients may experience inexplicable mood swings because breathing interruptions wake them continually, preventing them from having a deep, nourishing sleep.
Waking up Frequently at Night
Waking up in the middle of the night is a symptom you may hardly think of since you might not remember waking up. And if you remember waking up, you may attribute it to other reasons, such as bathroom use or heartburn.
How to Treat Sleep Apnea
If left untreated, this disorder can have a negative impact on your emotional and physical health. It can also affect your social life due to a lack of concentration and mood swings during the day. Scheduling a sleeping test can help diagnose sleep apnea.
Seeking treatment from doctors or clinics specializing in snoring and sleep apnea can help cure the condition completely. These doctors offer the best treatment, and most medical insurances cover the treatment. CPAP and BiPAP therapy are the lines of treatment to treat sleep apnea depending on the condition. In addition, experts can answer the questions you have and help you get relief.In addition, experts can answer the questions you have and help you get relief.
