Snoring and Sleep Apnea
Snoring can cause many problems both medically and socially. Restful sleep is vital for your health, it is as important as good nutrition and exercise and your quality of life may be affected without it. Severe snorers can suffer from long-term health problems associated with obstructive sleep apnea.
When you fall asleep, the muscles in your face, tongue, neck, and throat relax. For some people, the muscles that surround the airway collapse, causing a partial obstruction. During the breath cycle, air is forced through that partially obstructed airway causing the tissues in the throat to vibrate which produces the sound of snoring. Snoring is the most common sign of a sleep-related breathing problem.
If the airway fully collapses, causing a complete obstruction it is called Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) which results in lowered oxygen levels.
Many people are unaware that they are deprived of oxygen during sleep because the body is usually successful in waking them up just enough to gasp for air. They fall back to sleep and the cycle begins again, sometimes hundreds of times per night. Some people will stop breathing for 30 seconds or more before they wake up choking and gasping for air. During this time, blood oxygen levels fall below normal which results in the heart working harder to get the oxygen it needs.
People who suffer from snoring and/or sleep apnea are not getting restful sleep and often wake up with headaches, difficulty concentrating, and feel tired and irritable even though they assume they slept through the night. Excessive daytime sleepiness, fatigue, and lack of energy are usually indications that they suffer from snoring and/or sleep apnea.
Is Sleep Apnea serious?
Yes. Anytime the body is deprived of oxygen it can lead to potentially serious life-threatening conditions. People who suffer from snoring and sleep apnea have a much higher incidence of heart attacks and strokes due to high blood pressure due to lack of oxygen.
Research shows that if left untreated, snoring and obstructive sleep apnea can lead to serious consequences:
- Increased risk of heart disease.
- Increased risk of stroke.
- Increased risk of high blood pressure.
- Increased risk of Type II diabetes.
- Increased risk of motor vehicle accidents.
Snoring and sleep apnea can also cause:
- Depression • Sexual dysfunction
- Fatigue • Marital problems
- Poor memory • Gastro-esophageal reflux (GERD)
Diagnosis and Treatment for Snoring and Sleep Apnea
The good news is that snoring and sleep apnea can be treated and controlled. Diagnosing OSA (Obstructive Sleep Apnea) is a non-evasive process. It entails a detailed questionnaire, Epworth Sleepiness Scale result, oral examination, and an overnight sleep study. The sleep study can be done in the comfort of your own home with an easy-to-wear, take-home sleep study monitoring device. The result of this study is then interpreted and the condition is diagnosed by a registered sleep physician.
Treatment for snoring and sleep apnea includes behavioural changes, oral appliances, Continuous Positive Air Pressure (CPAP) therapy, and in extreme cases, surgery. For those diagnosed with snoring and/or mild to moderate sleep apnea, oral appliances are the treatment of choice.
Contact us for your complimentary snoring/sleep apnea consultation 403 342 4402
