Sleep Apnea Symptoms | Sleep Apnea Symptoms

Watch For Sleep Apnea Symptoms

One of the very basic essentials for a healthy life is sleep. Our bodies and minds need a certain amount of sleep to function properly. This amount may not be the same for everybody, but when we get less than we need, or get poor quality sleep the effects can be the same: fatigue, difficulty concentrating, sleepiness and a general feeling of poor health.

So what if you sleep long enough but you still don’t feel well rested on a continuous basis? There is a chance that you are not getting exactly the amount or quality of sleep you may think you are. The above mentioned symptoms of lack of sleep are also signs of sleep apnea.

Sleep apnea is a condition when your breathing is interrupted repeatedly during sleep. This may be because of an obstruction to the airway or simply due to lack of respiratory effort. To qualify as sleep apnea it needs to occur at least five times in an hour. It can cause all the problems we see with sleep deprivation and can make normal functioning difficult.

Diagnosing this problem can be difficult because the most certain symptoms of sleep apnea occur during the night. This means that someone would have to be near and notice that the person stopped breathing and then gasped for air. The person experiencing it rarely notices this symptom on their own.

Some of the other sleep apnea symptoms are much easier to notice, but at the same time they are common to other sleep disorders, too. They include regular and loud snoring, getting poor or restless sleep and being sleepy during the day.

Unfortunately the problems that come with sleep apnea do not end with the symptoms. It is quite a serious condition and can put a lot of strain on the heart. As a matter of fact, those who suffer from sleep apnea are thirty percent more likely to have a heart attack or even to die prematurely, so it is important to do something about those sleep apnea symptoms if you notice them.

The best treatment for sleep apnea is the use of a CPAP devise. The continuous positive airway pressure makes it possible for the airway to stay open, allowing for proper breathing during CPAP sleep. It is also possible to exercise those muscles so they will work properly on their own, and in some cases you can have surgery to tighten the muscles.

Watch out for the signs of sleep apnea. Although they may not seem too much above what is normal for some people, if you continue to have a problem, you should see your doctor so you can start treatment and decrease your risk of heart attack or premature death!

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