Do you or someone you live with snore constantly? 

Diane Groppe

They may be experiencing sleep apnea.   Sleep apnea is more than just an annoyance to those around them.  It can be a sign of a serious health condition.  If you or someone you love experiences excessive snoring, breathing issues while sleeping, or waking up gasping for air, this can be a sign of sleep apnea.   This disorder can lead to high blood pressure, stroke, and heart disease.

According to the American Sleep Apnea Foundation, sleep apnea is defined as the “Greek word “apnea” (that) literally means without breath.” Sleep apnea is an involuntary cessation of breathing that occurs while someone is asleep. There are three types of sleep apnea: obstructive, central, and mixed. Of the three, obstructive sleep apnea, often called OSA for short, is the most common. Despite the difference in the root cause of each type, in all three, people with untreated sleep apnea stop breathing repeatedly during their sleep, sometimes hundreds of times during the night and often for a minute or longer. In most cases the sleeper is unaware of these breath stoppages because they don’t trigger waking up fully.

According to Sleep Apnea, “Left untreated, sleep apnea can have serious and life-shortening consequences: high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, automobile accidents caused by falling asleep at the wheel, diabetes, depression, and other ailments.”  

Talk to your doctor about your medical concerns.  They may have you participate in a sleep study, don’t worry it is painless. You may spend the night in a sleep center or perhaps a home study.  Electrodes will be attached to your head, nose, neck, chest, and legs; it is very thorough.  Your breathing, and heart rate will be monitored and the type of sleep as well as your amount of sleep will also be documented. After your doctor reviews your data they may recommend a CPAP- Continuous positive airway pressure-breathing machine, or other breathing devices.

Many people experience an improved quality of life after correcting their sleep apnea.  They have considerably more energy-because they are getting the oxygen and sleep they need. Their blood pressure may decrease and many facial aches and pains will diminish.

All of this may seem like an inconvenience, but your health (and the sanity of those you live with) greatly depends on the problem being fixed.

Do you or your loved-one snore?  Have you participated in a sleep study?  What were your experiences?