7 Facts You Probably Didn’t Know About Sleep Apnea

Sleep apnea is a sleep disorder that causes breath interruptions during sleep. The severity of the condition decides the number of interruptions. For example, a person struggling with severe sleep apnea can have up to 90 interruptions in one hour. These interruptions last for ten to twenty seconds.

The condition is not life-threatening, but it can affect your carry out your daily activities. It can also increase the risk of serious health conditions such as heart disease, mental issues, and high blood pressure. For those reasons, it is vital to visit a sleep apnea dentist if you notice signs of sleep apnea.

That said, many people still don’t know much about sleep apnea and don’t see the need to get treated. In this blog, we will discuss the condition in detail to help you make an informed decision.

Sleep Apnea Affects Everyone

Sleep apnea is not for the old. It is a condition that can affect anyone. The condition is more common in overweight people, but it can also affect people with a healthy weight. However, you will be at a higher risk if you are a smoker, take too much alcohol, or have a family with a history of apnea. The condition also affects children as a result of adenoids blocking the airways while the kid is sleeping.

Snoring is Not The Only Sign of Apnea

Typically, the most common symptoms of obstructive sleep apnea are loud snoring and gasping for air. However, those are not the only symptoms of the condition. In fact, people suffering from central sleep apnea rarely snore. Therefore, it is crucial to consider other sleep apnea signs such as morning headaches, daytime sleepiness, trouble focusing, and fatigue during the day.

Obesity Increases Sleep Apnea Risk

Many factors cause sleep apnea, including medical conditions and medications such as opioids. However, it is obesity that is responsible for most apnea cases. In fact, it accounts for more than 70 percent of sleep apnea cases. However, not all overweight people are affected by apnea.

That said, you can manage the symptoms of sleep apnea by losing a few pounds. Losing weight will clear the airways, improving the oxygen flow in your body. When you receive enough oxygen, you will have a better sleep.

Sleep Apnea is Treatable

There are many incurable medical conditions, but sleep apnea is not one of them. Many sleep apnea solutions exist, and if one does not work, you can always try another.

One of the most common options is wearing snoring devices such as CPAP masks to ensure you get enough oxygen flow during your sleep. If wearing devices don’t work for you, there is an option for surgery. In most cases, surgery will fix the problem.

Alternatively, you can try at-home techniques that work perfectly for mild to moderate apnea conditions. Some of these home remedies include yoga, losing weight, honey, avoiding alcohol, and inhaling lavender.

More Men Are Affected By Obstructive Sleep Apnea Than Women

Typically, sleep apnea affects more men than it does women. Middle-aged men are always at the highest risk of the condition. Women are only at higher risk of the condition after menopause. There is still no solid explanation of why sleep apnea is more common in men than in women. It’s just like with Covid-19.

Many Cases of Sleep Apnea Are Undiagnosed

It is not easy to identify you are suffering from sleep apnea if you are living alone. The condition’s main symptoms (loud snoring and gasping for air) occur when you are sleeping.

That means only another person can notice these signs for you. Also, some people ignore the loud snoring warning sign and assume it is normal. For those reasons, there are over 23 million undiagnosed sleep apnea cases in the United States.

Sleep Apnea Can Lead to Other Health Complications

As much as sleep apnea is not dangerous, it can increase the risk of severe health conditions such as heart attack, stroke, and diabetes. It also affects your social life, increasing the risk of mental illnesses such as depression.

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