What is Sleep Apnea – A Brief Guide

Have you heard of sleep apnea before? It is a common sleep condition that is about experiencing repeated pauses in breathing while one is asleep. If this condition isn’t treated, it can lead to serious physical and mental health issues.

Read on to learn more about sleep apnea.

The Most Common Causes of Sleep Apnea

At this point, you might be wondering what causes sleep apnea. The most common cause is being overweight. It might be caused by the accumulation of fatty tissues around your neck. The excessive weight from the fat can cause your airways to collapse during sleep. 

Even if you are not overweight, you might have a thicker neck or extra soft tissues in the neck area. This excess can make your tissues more prone to collapsing during sleep. 

Smoking is another cause of sleep apnea. You might have a nasal obstruction, such as a deviated septum. If you have a small chin or a large overbite, you are also at a higher risk of having sleep apnea. In this case, you might want to get the best cpap supplies and ensure that you get quality sleep at night.

It is important to mention here that most people with sleep apnea don’t have symptoms other than they don’t feel well-rested in the morning. This can be the case if you don’t have many apnea events during the night. 

Some Unique Signs of Sleep Apnea

You should know that there are some unique signs that can indicate that you have sleep apnea. For instance, you might have heard about persistent snoring. When we say snoring, we don’t mean it in a way that it is a rumble – but – we mean that the snoring is so loud that one can hear it through closed doors. 

Also, if you are experiencing morning headaches, you should treat it as a sign of sleep apnea. Morning headaches are also accompanied by excessive daytime sleepiness. If it sounds familiar that you get seven to eight hours of sleep but you still feel like sleeping the entire day, then you should definitely get yourself checked for sleep apnea.

Do you find yourself waking up at least two times during the night to urinate? If yes, then you should know that this condition is also known as nocturia. This condition can happen for a number of reasons, but one of the reasons is also known as obstructive sleep apnea. 

The Physical Effects of Sleep Apnea

If you believe that you have sleep apnea, then you should see a doctor as soon as you can. Sleep apnea can affect your physical health, such as diabetes, heart disease, and stroke. Apart from the physical effects, sleep apnea can massively increase the risk of developing depression. If you are already depressed, sleep apnea can worsen this condition. 

This worsening of depression is linked with an increase in inflammation. Sleep apnea is also linked with anxiety, especially panic attacks. Furthermore, sleep apnea can also cause cognitive decline, which is actually reversible if you seek treatment. But – if it remains untreated, it can become permanent.