What Aggravates Your Sleep Apnea Problem?

sleep apnea

Sleep apnea is a severe sleep disorder that makes you grasp your breath again and again. You could have sleep apnea due to loud snoring problem and feel weary even after having enough sleep.

Sleep Apnea Types:

  • The most common form, when the throat muscles relax, is the obstructive sleep apnea.

  • A central sleep apnea happens when your brain stops sending the muscles signals to control breathing.

  • Complex sleep apnea, also known as central sleep apnea, occurs when someone have both of the OSA and CSA.

Symptoms:

The symptoms and signs of obstructive and central sleep apnea overlap, making it sometimes difficult to determine what kind you have. Obstructive and central sleep apnea is the most common signs and symptoms:

  • Snoring loudly

  • Episodes where you stop sleeping breathing — which another person would report

  • Gasping in sleeping

  • Wake up with dry mouth

  • Headache in the morning

  • Hard to sleep (insomnia)

  • Oversleepiness (hypersomnia) during the day.

  • Attention problems while waking

  • Irritability

Sleep Apnea Dangers

When not taken care of, sleep apnea could lead to high blood pressure, cardiac disease, heart attack, obesity, loss of memory, parasomnias, and resistance to insulin. In addition, a link exists between severe sleep apnea, drops in blood levels of oxygen and premature death. You should consult your doctor in a sleep clinic if you suspect this disorder in order to get a diagnosis so that further complications can be avoided.

What Makes Sleep Apnea Worse?

The wrong way to sleep

Even if there is no "right" way to sleep, people with OSA have to avoid sleeping in some positions. A sleep test may show you have more disturbed respiration when you sleep on your back. Those who sleep like this are at risk of collapsing soft tissues in their airways, which can prevent air from passing through. For certain people, it can be helpful to use positional therapy to rest on their sides.

Too much alcohol consumption

If you have OSA, you can adversely affect your sleep if you consume too much alcohol. Even if you feel sleepy with this substance, it can cause insomnia as it leaves your system. Furthermore, it can make up your upper airways more collapsible if you mix alcohol with muscle relaxants. Thankfully, this risk factor can be controlled. Before bedtime, you should avoid drinking.

Weight gain

Sleep apneas may be affected by gaining weight to the point of overweight or obesity. The deposition of fat to the base of your tongue and through the airway can worsen your condition if your airways are already narrow. Weight loss can reduce snoring and apnea sleep. Your physician at the sleep clinic can assist you in developing a diet and training plan to help you lose weight in safety.

Age

Aging can aggravate the sleep apnea of an individual, but this factor is not controlled. You also lose your airway definition, because you lose muscle tone in arms and legs, thereby jeopardizing their ability to remain open. The incidence of this disease is usually reduced on the bright side at around 65 years.

Contact OKOA, your sleep clinic in OKC. Treat your sleep apnea and have a good night sleep. Reach us for ENT problems, deviated septum, allergy and more problems.

**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.