Sleep apnea is a potentially serious sleep disorder in which breathing repeatedly stops and starts. If you snore loudly and feel tired even after a full night’s sleep, you may have sleep apnea. 

The Mayo Clinic lists the following as signs and symptoms of sleep apnea: 

• Loud snoring 
• Episodes of when you stop breathing during sleep, reported by another person
• Gasping for air during sleep 
• Awakening with a dry mouth 
• Morning headache 
• Difficulty staying asleep 
• Excessive daytime sleepiness 
• Difficulty paying attention while awake
• Irritability 

Factors that increase the risk for sleep apnea:

Excess weight. Obesity greatly increases the risk of sleep apnea. Fat deposits around your upper airway and can obstruct breathing. 

Neck circumference. People with thicker necks may have narrower airways. 

Being male. Men are two to three times more likely to have sleep apnea than women.

Being older. Sleep apnea occurs significantly more often in older adults.

Family history.

Smoking. Smokers are three times more likely to have sleep apnea than are people who have never smoked.

Nasal congestion. If you have difficulty breathing through your nose, you are more likely to develop sleep apnea. 

 

When left untreated, snoring and sleep apnea lead to several significant chronic diseases or conditions, as well as many other health complications. Those include: Three times more likely to lead to premature death. Drug-resistant hypertension, obesity, Premature ejaculation, congestive heart failure, diabetes and coronary artery disease.

Written By Carrie Company