Sleep Apnea, Not Just for Men
by Cindy Gray on June 24th, 2009
Loading ...You’ve probably heard the term “sleep apnea,” or maybe even the technical term “obstructive sleep apnea” or OSA. Or maybe someone you know and love suffers from this disorder, it may even be you. Chances are pretty high that OSA affects you or someone you care for, since over 12 million Americans suffer from this condition. Obstructive Sleep Apnea is a disorder where a person stops breathing as many as 20 to 30 times an hour while they are sleeping. Just think how many times this adds up to in a full night’s sleep. At least a hundred or more times a night they stop breathing!
What’s really scary is that about half of these 12 million Americans have no idea they have sleep apnea, no idea at all. One myth about sleep apnea is that if you have it, you’d know it. But often a person finds out they have sleep apnea if their partner notices that they snore loudly with periods of gasping or snorting. Just think about single people–or those that for whatever reason, sleep alone–they may never learn that they are affected by this common, yet deadly condition.
Beyond having your partner point out gasping and snorting while you innocently try to catch your zzz’s, other clues are being extremely tired and irritable during the day; having trouble concentrating and remembering things at work or school; and waking up with a dry mouth, sore throat or a headache. And because sleep apnea deprives you of a good night’s sleep, research shows that having OSA can double your risk of being involved in a car accident, since you’re not getting adequate rest at night.
Another myth is that sleep apnea may make you tired, but it’s not dangerous, or anything to worry about. Wrong! If sleep apnea or OSA goes untreated, it can increase your risk of having high blood pressure, a heart attack and even a stroke.
One of the biggest myths about sleep apnea is that it only effects men. In reality, sleep apnea can effect women and children too. Young women with asthma are twice as likely to have OSA. Sleep apnea often goes under diagnosed in women because they’re often embarrassed to admit they snore, and sometimes they don’t have other symptoms to indicate they have it. Being overweight can also increase a person’s chances of having sleep apnea, as well as having hypertension or a family history of this condition. Your risk also goes up if the airways in your nose, throat or mouth are narrow, or if you suffer from nasal allergies, since they can cause congestion, which leads to a narrowing of the airways.
Many people mistakenly believe that surgery is the only fix for OSA. But like so many conditions and health situations, lifestyle changes can help many patients tremendously. Changes such as sleeping on your side and losing excess weight can help reduce the condition. In some cases, people suffering from sleep apnea wear a mask over their nose to increase air pressure in their throat, called CPAP, or continuous positive airway pressure. This mask worn during sleep can help a person breathe better while they sleep.
Pay attention to your health and how you feel. If you suffer from any of these symptoms, please see your health care professional. Meanwhile, remember to take the best care of yourself that you can. Remember to drink plenty of fluids, get lots of rest, take a good multi-vitamin multi-mineral each day, avoid stress and get regular exercise. All these things may seem simple, but they can help you to feel better and sleep more soundly too! Sweet dreams!
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