Author:
Peter Berry
Date Of Creation:
13 February 2021
Update Date:
1 July 2024
Content
Sleep Apnea is a sleep disorder that affects the way you sleep when you sleep. People with sleep apnea experience interrupted breathing or apnea that last for a few seconds to minutes and can lead to serious health problems. Sleep apnea causes poor sleep, which can lead to slow reflexes, poor concentration and daytime sleepiness. This condition can lead to more serious problems, including diabetes, heart disease, stroke, ... Knowing the symptoms of the disease can help you determine the right treatment.
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Recognizing the Symptoms of Sleep Apnea Syndrome
Track your sleep. If you suspect that you have sleep apnea, you should monitor your sleep to detect symptoms. Professional sleep research is the primary way to determine if you have the disease. Also, let your doctor know about the symptoms you experience so that you can get a more accurate diagnosis.
- Ask your partner to learn about your sleeping habits, especially if it's interfering with someone else's sleep.
- If you sleep alone, you can record, record or record a sleep diary to see how long you sleep, whether you wake up in the middle of the night, and what it feels like to wake up in the morning.
Consider the volume of the snore. Loud snoring is one of the main symptoms of sleep apnea, especially congested snoring (due to excess throat relaxation). Loud snoring is the loud snoring that affects someone who sleeps in the same room or in the same house. Snoring loudly can make you tired and sleepy during the day, while normal snoring will not.
Consider how often you wake up in the middle of the night. People with sleep apnea often wake up suddenly due to difficulty breathing. When they wake up, they often choke, snort or gasp. You may not even know you have these symptoms while you sleep, but waking up with difficulty breathing is a clear sign that you have sleep apnea.
Consider how you feel during the day. No matter how much or much sleep at night, people with sleep apnea are always tired, drowsy or sleepy during the day. The sick person may even fall asleep while doing important things such as working or driving.
Consider how often you wake up and feel a dry mouth or sore throat. People with sleep apnea often wake up and experience a sore throat, dry mouth due to snoring. If such symptoms are frequent, it is a sign of sleep apnea.
Consider the frequency of headaches after waking up. Morning headache is a common symptom in people with sleep apnea. If you wake up and experience a headache, you may have sleep apnea.
Consider the frequency of insomnia. People with sleep apnea often have difficulty sleeping well or not being able to sleep. If you have trouble falling asleep or have a good night's sleep, that could be a sign of illness.
Consider your mental health during the day. People with sleep apnea often forget, have difficulty concentrating and moody. If you experience one or more of these symptoms on a regular basis, it could be a sign you have sleep apnea.
See a doctor if in doubt. Sleep apnea syndrome can cause many serious health problems, so you need to be diagnosed and treated as soon as possible. If your doctor suspects that you have sleep apnea, your doctor will conduct a sleep study or sleep multigram to give a definitive diagnosis.
- Sleep studies can be conducted in the research lab for the more complex cases or at home for the simpler case.
- During your sleep study, you will be connected to a monitoring device to record muscle, brain, lung and heart activity during sleep.
Method 2 of 3: Risk Factor Review
Consider your gender and age. Men have a higher risk of sleep apnea than women, and the risk of both sexes increases with age. People over 65 years old or women who have gone through menopause are at increased risk of sleep apnea syndrome.
- In middle age, you are at a higher risk of developing central sleep apnea, where the brain cannot transmit activity signals to the muscles responsible for breathing.
- The risk of sleep apnea syndrome, especially obstructive apnea, is also higher if someone in the family has the disease.
- Male African-American and Hispanic and Portuguese men are at an increased risk of sleep apnea syndrome.
Consider your body weight. Being overweight or obese can increase your risk of sleep apnea. People who are obese are four times more likely to have obstructive apnea - about a quarter of people with obstructive apnea are overweight.
- People with thick necks are also at increased risk of obstructive apnea. Men with a neck circumference greater than 43 cm and women with a neck circumference greater than 38 cm are at higher risk.
Consider medical condition (if any). The risk of sleep apnea is higher in people with medical conditions, including:
- Diabetes
- Metabolic syndrome
- Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)
- Stroke or heart disease
- High blood pressure (high blood pressure)
- Congestive heart failure
- Pregnant
- Chronic stuffy nose
- Pulmonary fibrosis
- Genital enlargement (high growth hormone levels)
- Hypothyroidism (low thyroid hormone levels)
- Small lower jaw or airway narrowing
- Use anesthetic pain reliever
Consider your smoking habits. Smokers are three times more likely to develop obstructive apnea than non-smokers. Not only that, but smoking also negatively affects your overall health, so talk with your doctor about how to quit smoking as soon as possible.
- Electronic cigarette smoking increases airway resistance, making it difficult to breathe. Using an e-cigarette or "Vape" also increases the risk of sleep apnea.
Consider the risk in children. Young children can also develop sleep apnea. Like adults, children who are overweight are also at increased risk of this syndrome.
- Young children can have an enlarged tonsil, which increases the risk of sleep apnea syndrome. An enlarged tonsil can be caused by an infection. It may be asymptomatic but often causes sore throat, difficulty breathing, snoring or recurrent ear or sinus infection.
Method 3 of 3: Treatment of Sleep Apnea Syndrome
Follow the instructions for treating sleep apnea syndrome from your doctor. Your doctor may prescribe a continuous positive pressure respirator (CPAP), a device that helps to regulate breathing. You need to wear this device every night to regulate your breathing while sleeping. In addition, a doctor can make lifestyle recommendations to eliminate or at least ease symptoms.
Lose weight if you are overweight. Being overweight can be the cause, so losing weight can help treat sleep apnea syndrome. Note that you should consult your doctor before starting a weight loss program and follow the guidelines for safe weight loss.
Exercise for at least 30 minutes a day. Obstructive apnea symptoms can be improved by doing 30 minutes of moderate intensity exercise a day. Initially, you can take a short 30-minute walk and gradually increase the level of exercise according to your endurance.
Reduce your consumption of alcohol, sleeping pills and sedatives. These chemicals relax the throat and interfere with breathing. Reducing or stopping your intake of these chemicals can help improve sleep apnea symptoms. Note that you should consult your doctor before you want to stop taking any prescription drugs.
Quit smoking. Smoking increases water retention and inflammation in the throat and upper respiratory tract. This can make obstructive apnea worse. Talk to your doctor for help quitting smoking and more information about your local smoking cessation program.
Sleep on your side or on your back instead of lying on your back. Lying on your side or on your back will reduce or eliminate symptoms of sleep apnea syndrome. When lying on your back, tongue and soft amazement easily interfere with airways and cause sleep apnea. Try putting a pillow behind your back or sewing a tennis ball behind your nightgown to prevent yourself from sleeping on your back.
Talk to your doctor about nasal sprays and allergy medications. For some people, using a nasal spray or allergy medicine may help the airways open at night and make it easier to breathe. So you can talk to your doctor to see if this is the right choice. advertisement
