Local Care - Sleep Apnea Facts

Sleep Apnea Symptoms: Sleepless Nights, Tired Days

Sleep apnea symptoms are often hard to see yourself, but easy for other people to diagnose. Have you ever slept in the same room as someone who snores and skips breaths at night? Well, those are clear symptoms of sleep apnea. These pauses can last longer than 10 seconds, and it can frighten others to hear someone stop breathing. The sufferer is usually unaware of it.

Snoring is the biggest giveaway when it comes to diagnosing sleep apnea. Someone who snores doesn't necessarily have sleep apnea, but someone who has obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) will almost certainly snore. OSA means that the airways through which you breathe can become obstructed. If they're partly obstructed, you'll snore.

If the airway becomes totally obstructed, you'll momentarily stop breathing. (An apnea is defined as stopping breathing for 10 seconds or more.) Apneas are not just a sleep apnea symptom; they are the very definition of the sleep disorder.

But the effects of sleep apnea don't just happen at night. Since you're not getting the restful sleep that you need, you'll probably feel daytime fatigue and sleepiness, possibly accompanied by grouchiness or depression. This leaves you more vulnerable to additional health problems. Be sure to discuss your symptoms with your doctor or dentist.

+Jim Du Molin is a leading Internet search expert helping individuals and families connect with the right dentist in their area. Visit his author page.

Sleep Disorders: Had Enough of Snoring and Feeling Tired?

Sleep disorders are not a normal part of life. While everyone has trouble sleeping sometimes, it should not be a nightly battle. Fortunately, sleep medicine offers some restful solutions.

Some of the most common sleep disorders include obstructive sleep apnea, insomnia, bruxism (grinding your teeth), sleepwalking, and restless leg syndrome. To diagnose the sleeping problem, a sleep doctor will sometimes have the patient come to a sleep center for an overnight sleep study.

But diagnosing sleep apnea can sometimes be straightforward. If your husband or wife tells you that you snore and skip breaths at night, then you almost certainly have sleep apnea. (Not everyone who snores has sleep apnea, but almost everyone with sleep apnea snores.)

Other symptoms of sleep apnea include daytime fatigue, because breathing-disordered sleep is not as restful. But whether a sleep partner diagnoses your sleep apnea or your fatigue sends you to see your dentist or physician, you'll improve your health by seeking sleep apnea treatment.

Sleep apnea treatment can make your sleep more restful, leaving you less tired an in a better mood during the day. Plus, if you stop snoring, maybe your husband or wife will sleep better too!

+Jim Du Molin is a leading Internet search expert helping individuals and families connect with the right dentist in their area. Visit his author page.