What Are the symptoms of sleep apnea?

Anyone that suspects they have the condition should familiarize themselves with the symptoms of sleep apnea. This condition is not something that is just annoying but is dangerous and can also be downright deadly. Some have unfortunately died from the cessation of breathing during the night, so of course realizing if you have this condition and getting it treated properly is vitally important. So let's look at some common symptoms of sleep apnea and remember, you might not be able to recognize these symptoms in yourself but may need to ask your bedmate or another family member if they notice them when you sleep.

Your breathing and the sounds you make during sleep are common symptoms of sleep apnea. When your body stops breathing temporarily during the night of course it works very hard to get itself breathing again and this might mean sounds like choking, gasping, snorting, or wheezing. Many people think that these sounds are just common or harmless snoring but these noises, especially when loud or severe, are common symptoms of sleep apnea. The body gasps when it starts breathing after being denied oxygen or someone wheezes when that oxygen gets cut off. These are not good sounds for anyone and should be taken very seriously.

Sleep apnea interferes with a person's sleep whether they're aware of it or not. The way you feel during the day can also be common symptoms of sleep apnea. You might think you've gotten a good night's sleep but if you're fatigued when you wake up, have headaches throughout the day, get daytime sleepiness, or just generally don't feel rested all of these can be symptoms of sleep apnea. It's important that a person get several hours of uninterrupted sleep in order to be really refreshed and recharged but sleep apnea of course interferes with consistent rest. Again, a person isn't typically aware of the fact that he or she has sleep apnea and is waking up during the night so these daytime symptoms should be considered.

Any and all of these symptoms of sleep apnea should be taken seriously. A doctor can refer you to a sleep clinic, but most cases of sleep apnea are caused by excess body weight. If you're several pounds overweight you might want to consider doing what you can to lose this weight and see if perhaps these symptoms of sleep apnea don't clear up.

Sleep Position and Snoring: Is there a link?

You may have heard that sometimes there is a connection between your Sleep Position and Snoring. In many ways this is correct as snoring happens when a person starts breathing through their mouth rather than their nose. This dries up the throat and causes the tissue in this area to vibrate as air passes over it which is the noise we call snoring. Obviously your mouth is more likely to fall open when you sleep on your back, so you see an obvious connection between this sleep position and snoring. Keeping yourself on your side or stomach is going to help with the problem of snoring tremendously, although this can be difficult for some people. There is the common advice of sewing a tennis ball into the back of your pajamas so that when you roll onto your back you feel that and are pushed back onto your side. This advice when it comes to your sleep position and snoring cessation can actually backfire as of course it's very uncomfortable to roll onto a tennis ball and many who try this find they wake up during the night every time this happens.

A better idea for keeping yourself in the best sleep position for snoring cessation might be to use some pillows under one of your sides. This can prop you up even when you roll onto your back and keep you from being in a bad position during sleep. You can also try a body pillow or large pillow in front of you to clutch while sleeping; there's something about the action of keeping your arms and legs wrapped around such a pillow that keeps you on your side. The support you get in front might help to keep you in the best sleep position and Snoring cessation.

Your sleep position and snoring are not the only issues when it comes to this habit. If your mouth and throat are overly dry or if you have sinus problems, allergies, asthma, or are severely overweight you can also find that you snore constantly. All of these conditions should be treated whether they cause snoring or not, but usually keeping your bedroom adequately ventilated with a humidifier or warm mist vaporizer can also help. While your sleep position and snoring is often related these other conditions can cause problems related to snoring and may need the attention of a doctor.