How to Know if You Have Sleep Apnea

Sleep apnea is a dangerous condition often shrugged off as "just snoring". In fact it has the capacity to negatively impact on all areas of your life and health. Sleep apnea can cause car accidents, marital breakdowns, poor health and even death. So what is this dreadful condition and why is it so harmful? Sandra Grauschopf explains...

Signs and Symptoms of Obstructive and Central Sleep Apnea
By Sandra Grauschopf
 

Do you oftentimes feel tired during the day, even after a good eight hours of sleep? Are you having unexplained difficulty focusing on your work, or do you find yourself falling asleep at the wheel of your car? Do you frequently wake up during the night, feeling as if you are choking?

If so, you may be the victim of sleep apnea, a disorder that causes you to stop breathing throughout the night, oftentimes without realizing it. Sleep apnea is a very serious condition, and one that can lead to fatal health complications. If you have any concerns that you might have this condition, it is vital to be diagnosed and to start sleep apnea treatment as soon as possible.

What is the Cause of Sleep Apnea?
There are two major conditions which can be the cause of sleep apnea:
    • Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA)
    • Central Sleep Apnea (CSA)

Obstructive sleep apnea is by far the most common type; it occurs when something blocks the airflow during the night. The soft tissue at the back of the throat is a common culprit. A few of the most common factors that can be the cause of sleep apnea include:

    • Being overweight or having a large collar size. Fatty tissues in the tissues at the back of the throat can block the airways.
    • Age. As people grow older, the muscles at the back of the throat can sag, causing obstructive sleep apnea.
    • Snoring. The vibrations caused by frequent snoring can cause the soft palate to obstruct the airways during rest.
    • Smoking. Smoking can inflame the tissues of the throat, leading to obstructive sleep apnea.
    • Drinking. Alcohol can make the muscles of the throat relax too much, blocking airways.
    • Genetics. Although scientists are not yet sure how it is passed from generation to generation, people who have family members with sleep apnea are far more likely to suffer from the disorder themselves.

Central sleep apnea is a rare form of the disorder, which occurs when the brain does not instruct the body to breathe properly. Common factors that can be the cause of central sleep apnea include:

    • Stroke
    • High blood pressure
    • Heart attack or arrhythmia
    • Brain tumor
    • Viral infection of the brain

Some people also suffer from a mixture of the two common causes of sleep apnea.

Can Sleep Apnea Be Fatal?
Usually, people suffering from sleep apnea have difficulty breathing for only a few seconds at a time, which is not normally long enough to be life-threatening. However, the long-term effects of oxygen deprivation, restlessness, poor sleep, and overcompensation by the heart and the rest of the circulatory can lead to fatal illnesses. Problems that can occur because of apnea include:

    • Heart attack
    • Diabetes
    • Stroke
    • Depression
    • High blood pressure
    • Hypertension
    • An elevated risk of heart attack or work-related injuries

Sleep Apnea Symptom List
It can be surprisingly difficult for people to self-diagnose sleep apnea. It is a little-known fact that the brain generally does not remember the first few seconds after waking up. This means that even if you wake up twenty or thirty times throughout the night because you are having trouble breathing, you might not remember the disturbances in the morning.

For this reason, a friend or relative is oftentimes the first person to notice a sleep apnea symptom. When a doctor diagnoses sleep apnea, he usually asks the patient to spend the night in a sleep clinic, to evaluate his or her sleeping patterns.

Some of the most common warning signs on the sleep apnea symptom list include:

    • Unexplained tiredness and lethargy, trouble staying awake
    • Difficulty focusing or concentrating
    • Crankiness and irritability
    • Memory loss
    • Headaches or dry mouth upon waking
    • Heavy snoring
    • Frequent bathroom trips during the night
    • Sensations of choking while sleeping
    • Waking in a sweat
    • Depression or shifts in personality

Sleep Apnea and Snoring
You can see that there is a link between sleep apnea and snoring. Snoring is both a sleep apnea symptom and a potential cause of obstructive sleep apnea. However, not everyone who snores heavily is suffering from, or even prone to, apnea. The two symptoms are not always related.

Is there a Sleep Apnea Cure?
There are two basic methods of sleep apnea treatment. In some cases, it is possible to remove the cause of sleep apnea, which results in a sleep apnea cure. In other situations, you can treat the sleep apnea symptoms, which can lower the health risks of the disorder and help the sufferer feel better.

Some methods that can result in a total sleep apnea cure include:
    • Weight loss. If you are able to reduce the fatty tissue buildup in the back of your throat, you might be able to reduce the clogging action that leads to obstructive sleep apnea.
    • Playing an instrument. Some wind instruments, such as the trumpet or didgeridoo, can build up the muscles in your throat, reducing the likelihood of experiencing obstructive sleep apnea.
    • Sleep apnea surgery. By surgically removing the tissue that is causing a blockage, doctors can cure obstructive sleep apnea. However, they must be very sure that they have identified the source of the blockage before beginning an operation.
    • Giving up smoking, drinking, and sedatives like sleeping pills. These activities can cause swelling or relaxation of the throat muscles.

Examples of a sleep apnea treatment that relives the symptoms without providing a sleep apnea cure include:
    • Using a sleep apnea machine. One of the most effective treatments available today, a sleep apnea machine works by using pressurized air to keep the windpipe open during sleep.
    • Sleeping on the side. Many times, symptoms only arise when the sufferer is lying on his or her back. Pillows or methods that encourage sleeping on the side instead can temporarily alleviate the occurrence of the sleep apnea symptom.

How Do I Get Diagnosed with Sleep Apnea?
For a true diagnosis of obstructive sleep apnea or central sleep apnea, you should see your doctor. Your doctor will examine your nose, mouth, and airways to determine that there is no easily identified cause of your sleep troubles. He or she will usually recommend that you keep a sleep digest and/or spend the night at a sleep clinic for observation.

After you have received a positive diagnosis, your doctor can help you come up with a sleep apnea treatment plan.

Where Can I Get More Information on Sleep Apnea?
Your doctor is the best source for customized information on sleep apnea. If any of these symptoms sound like they apply to you, or if you are concerned that you may be suffering from a sleep disorder, you should contact your health care professional immediately.
 

About the Author

Sandra Grauschopf is a freelance writer and internet marketing expert who has been writing professionally both on and off the web for over 10 years.  Ever since she was a child, she has enjoyed researching and sharing her knowledge about topics like sleep apnea, CPAP machines and sleep disorders.

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