Everything You Wanted to Know About Sleep Apnea
Sleep forms a crucial element of a person’s daily life. Having a few hours of REM sleep helps the body to rejuvenate and prepare for the next day. Additionally, not getting enough sound sleep leads to various underlying health issues. Another interesting fact which people don’t pay attention to is that lack of sleep is a primary reason for obesity among people. Lack of sleep affects your appetite hormones, which regulate diet. So the next time you blame food for your weight issues, maybe ask yourself if you are getting enough sleep?
A lack of sleep reduces performance, concentration, serotonin (the happy hormone), and productivity. Moreover, disturbed sleep affects performance in the bedroom resulting in relationship issues. Hence, it is essential not to ignore sleep over things like work, parties, travel, etc. unless it’s absolutely essential. For some people, getting a disturbed sleep at night could also be a result of a sleep disorder. Most people don’t consider sleep disorders as a serious condition requiring assistance due to which they don’t get the necessary amount of sleep. This results in various other underlying conditions, disturbing the balance of the body.
What is a sleeping disorder?
A group of conditions that affects a person’s ability to sleep is called a sleeping disorder. These disorders could range from mild to severe depending from person to person. There are many types of sleep disorders, sleep apnea, insomnia, restless leg syndrome, among others. If you are experiencing these symptoms, you might have a sleep disorder:
- Headache
- Depression
- Increase/Loss in appetite
- Fatigue and anxiety
- Lack of concentration
- Daytime sleepiness
While a majority of the population suffers from sleep disorders and lack of quality sleep, men compromise on their sleep every day owing to various factors like work, stress, and tension. Additionally, men aren’t as comfortable about speaking of sleep disorders or lack of sleep as women. Be it a man or a woman, identifying the root cause of your lack of sleep is vital. The importance of sleep can not be stressed enough, and if you are someone who is finding it hard to catch quality sleep on a daily basis, you should consider giving your doctor a visit.
Sleep Apnea is a common sleep disorder where a person fails to intake enough oxygen for the body, affecting the breathing that results in repetitive waking up during the night.
Obtrusive Sleep Apnea: It is a common sleeping disorder where the upper airway collapses and results in repetitive episodes of nocturnal breathing. The most common reason for getting obtrusive sleep apnea is excess weight and obesity.
Central Sleep Apnea: This occurs when a person’s brain is unable to send proper signals to muscles which control the breathing, causing them to start and stop breathing repetitively while sleeping.
The most common symptom of sleep apnea among men is snoring, whereas women are more likely to show symptoms like daytime sleepiness and fatigue. Due to this, the chances of diagnosing sleep apnea in men is higher than in women as daytime sleepiness, and fatigue can be because of various other reasons.
How to Identify Sleep Apnea in Time?
Identifying the problem is the first step towards curing any problem. A common symptom of sleep apnea among men is repetitive and heavy snoring. Additionally, waking up in the middle of the night because of breathing issues, and experiencing daytime sleepiness or fatigue are some other symptoms associated with sleep apnea. However, women find it hard to identify sleep apnea due to the lack of a distinct symptom related to sleep apnea. No matter what the symptoms, if you are finding it hard to get a good night’s sleep, seeking a professional’s advice is highly recommended for the optimal functioning of the body.
Why Seeking Medical Help Is Important?
Everyone requires an adequate amount of sleep for the body to function properly. Ignoring sleep disorders can result in long-term health issues like obesity, stress, depression, low immunity, among others. Hence, it is strongly advised to tackle sleep disorders by taking medical advice as soon as possible. You can also take up ways that can help you fall asleep like drinking teas which help in falling asleep, listening to white noises, reading a book, taking a soothing bath, etc.