How to Know If You Have Sleep Apnea & How to Treat It

Lifestyle

Nov 15

Sleep apnea is a condition that causes you to stop breathing while you sleep. There are varying levels of sleep apnea, ranging from mild to severe. It is reported that 15% - 30% of men and 10% - 15% of women in the United States have sleep apnea.

What’s the Concern with Sleep Apnea?

To put it plainly, sleep impacts most aspects of your health. Not getting adequate sleep increases your risk of many diseases and disorders, and it affects your mental health and overall cognitive performance. When you add sleep apnea to the mix, you're not getting genuinely restful sleep, which leaves you feeling groggy, leading to lost productivity, mood swings, and maybe falling asleep when you shouldn't. What's more, you are at risk of type 2 diabetes, stroke, heart attack, and shortened lifespan.

So, are there things that put you at risk for sleep apnea? How do you know if you have sleep apnea? And what are some things you can do to treat it? Read on.

Risk Factors for Sleep Apnea

BMI higher than 35
Over the age of 50
Alcohol consumption
Narcotic use
Tonsils or adenoids that cause you trouble
Neck measures larger than 16 inches
Deviated septum
Many diseases, including heart disease, diabetes, atrial fibrillation, kidney diseases, asthma, and lung diseases

Symptoms of Sleep Apnea

Do you snore? Do you wake up feeling like you are choking?
Excessive tiredness
High blood pressure

Diagnosing Sleep Apnea

If you suspect you may have sleep apnea and we haven't previously discussed it together, schedule an appointment with us, and let's talk about it. You must have a sleep study to test for and diagnose sleep apnea officially. We like to order at-home sleep studies for our patients. These are typically covered by insurance. Once the sleep study is completed and mailed in, we will have your results and determine if there is a diagnosis.

Treating Sleep Apnea

You can order a C-pap machine through your insurance if diagnosed and approved. Depending on the severity of the sleep apnea and the suspected causes, we sometimes recommend that patients consider weight loss and other lifestyle changes to see if that eliminates sleep apnea.

If you'd like to talk with your provider about testing for sleep apnea, please call us at (740)200-3860. Not a patient? Visit our website to enroll and schedule your initial assessment and consultation.