In this article, we will discuss about What’s Sleep Apnea: Symptoms, Causes, and Risk Factors
What’s Sleep Apnea?
Sleep apnea is a sleep disturbance that causes a person’s breathing to stop temporarily for several times while sleeping. This condition can be characterized by snoring during sleep and still feeling sleepy after a long sleep.
The term apnea in sleep apnea means breathing stops. Sleep apnea sufferers can stop breathing for about 10 seconds as much as hundreds of times during sleep. This condition is very dangerous because it causes the body to lack oxygen. In women, this condition can sometimes cause snoring while pregnant.
Symptoms of Sleep Apnea
After knowing about What’s Sleep Apnea, then, what are the sleep apnea symptoms?
What are the signs and symptoms of sleep apnea?
In many cases, patients are unaware of the symptoms of sleep apnea. Some of these symptoms are actually realized by people who sleep with the sufferer. Some common symptoms that arise when sleep apnea sufferers are sleeping are:
- Snore loudly.
- Stop breathing, for several times during sleep.
- Shortly trying to take a breath while sleeping.
- Waking from sleep due to feeling a choke or coughing at night.
- Sleeplessness (Insomnia).
In addition to the symptoms that arise during sleep, patients with sleep apnea can also feel complaints after waking from sleep, among others:
- Waking up with the mouth feeling dry.
- Headaches when wakes up.
- Felt very sleepy during the day.
- Difficulty concentrating, learning, or remembering something.
- Experiencing mood swings and irritability.
- Decreased libi**do.
When should You check with a doctor?
You should contact your doctor if you experience any of the following symptoms:
- Snores loudly that annoys other people’s sleep or your own sleep
- Shortness of breath, breathless, or choking that wakes you up from sleep
- There is a pause in breathing during sleep
- Excessive daytime sleepiness
- Tired, sleepy, and irritable.
What causes sleep apnea?
The cause of sleep apnea, according to its type is:
Obstructive sleep apnea
When the back muscles of the throat relax, the respiratory tract narrows and closes while breathing. These muscles support the soft palate, the tonsils, the uvula, the side walls of the throat, and the tongue.
When the muscles are relaxed, your airway narrowed or closes as you breathe, you cannot get enough air, thus lowering the oxygen level in your blood.
Your brain senses your inability to breathe and wakes you up with a short time. It usually wakes up very briefly until patients with sleep apnea do not remember it.
When this happens, you may be choked. This pattern can be repeated five to 30 times or more every hour, all night, disrupting your ability to achieve a deep sleep phase.
Central sleep Apnea
The patient’s brain fails to transmit signals for breathing muscles. This makes the muscles not breathe for some time. Patients can wake up by shortness of breath or have difficulty sleeping.
Risk factors for sleep apnea
Sleep apnea can happen to anyone, even in children. A person will be more at risk of developing sleep apnea if they have some of the risk factors below:
- Male
- Aged 40 years and above
- Have a large tonsil and tongue, or a small jaw
- There are obstacles in the nose due to crooked nose bones
- Have an allergic disease or sinus disorder
- Smo**ke
- Alco**hol addiction
- Taking sleeping pills
Read also:
How To Cure Sleep Apnea Naturally
Thank you very much for reading What’s Sleep Apnea: Symptoms, Causes, and Risk Factors, hopefully useful.