Sleep Apnea in Women – The Risky Areas

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If we think about the typical sleep apnea patient, a heavy man with a thick neck and a roaring snore, over forty years old. While this image usually fits the profile of the patient with sleep apnea, it does not in any way show the full demographics of those who suffer from sleep apnea.

Unlike popular belief, patients with sleep apnea come in all types, and gender and may even have atypical sleep apnea symptoms. For example, not all patients with sleep apnea snore, many aren't overweight or obese, and they're not all male.

Here, we talk about the prevalence of women’s sleep apnea and why they often suffer from this sleep disorder because of no treatment and diagnosis from any sleep clinic in OKC.

Sleep Apnea and its Sufferers

Obstructive sleep apnea is a serious condition, occurring sometimes hundreds of times a night when a person sleeps. When it happens, a significant number of cells in the body suffer from a drop in blood oxygen. New research led by the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) School of Nursing reveals a lack of strong autonomic reactions in persons with obstructive sleep apnea, usually controlling blood pressure, heart rate, sweating, and other essential functions.

Symptoms of Sleep Apnea in Women

Sleep apnea presents itself differently for the women, according to a study at the University of Chicago, which might result in them going undiagnosed from a sleep clinic. It is estimated that up to 26% of adults aged 30-70 years experience obstructive sleep apnea, according to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. Men have sleep apnea twice as often as women. Men, however, are often diagnosed almost eight times as often as women with sleep apnea.

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The Prominent Symptoms

  • Insomnia

  • Memory difficulties

  • Restlessness in legs

  • Tired or fatigue

  • Depression

  • Daytime sleepiness

  • A feeling of being overwhelmed

  • Heartburn at night

  • Morning headaches

  • Lack of energy

  • Fibromyalgia

  • Night Sweats

  • Frequent urination at night

  • High blood pressure

  • The dry mouth on awakening

  • Obesity

Risk Factor

  • Obesity 

  • Menopause

  • Co-morbidities

  • Smoking

  • Pregnancy 

  • Polycystic ovarian syndrome 

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Contact the professionals of a sleep clinic in OKC and ask whether a sleep study is right for you if you feel your sleep problems may be due to sleep apnea, rather than other sleep disorders or common sleeplessness.

Contact Oklahoma Otolaryngology Associates if you live in OKC and wish to schedule a sleep study in a sleep clinic and get a sleep consultation. Our clinic can provide our female patients having obstructive sleep apnea with high-quality, comprehensive sleep care.

**Disclaimer: The information on this page is not intended to be a doctor's advice, nor does it create any form of patient-doctor relationship.

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