Considering the fast paced life we all lead nowadays, getting eight hours of sleep each night is a dream come true for many. But, if you continually feel drained and drowsy, even after getting your beauty sleep, then it’s probably not just your exhausting job and uncomfortable mattress. If you’ve noticed or have been told that you snore loud at night and breathe through your mouth, then you’re most likely suffering from a more serious disease. While occasional snoring is common and normal, chronic snoring suggests obstructive sleep apnea. Irritability, excessive drowsiness, frequent headaches, forgetfulness and anxiety are just few of the symptoms of this potentially life-threatening illness. If you exhibit majority of these symptoms all the time, then you, without doubt, have sleep apnea.

But, why do we snore? Doctors say that snoring occurs when the air which passes through the narrowing of the upper airway, travels at higher speed and under bigger pressure due to certain blockage and reduced muscle tone. When we sleep, the soft palate descends closer to the tongue which in turn falls back, closer to the pharynx. This especially true for people who sleep on their back and suffer from sleep apnea. All this leads to the acceleration of the airflow while breathing which causes vibrations of the soft palate and uvula, or simply said, it leads to snoring which causes numerous problems for many. Loud noise is definitely one of major problems associated with this. Did you know that that the noise level of snoring can exceed 80 decibels, which can potentially cause loss of hearing? An interesting fact is that snorers, for unknown reasons, often do not hear themselves snoring. It is the partner next you that suffers. After all, would you be able to fall asleep if your bed was near railway tracks?

Waking up your partner is not your biggest problem, though. If you suffer from obstructive sleep apnea, aside from snoring, many ‘stopping breathing’ periods occur due to certain cessations of airflow which literally prevent air from entering the lungs. They usually last 10 seconds or longer and can occur up to 10 times or more in a single hour. Thankfully, the brain detects these periods and sends strong signals which is why you probably wake up with a loud snore. Aside from not getting a good night sleep, sleep apnea can lead to more serious illnesses. For example, when you ‘stop breathing’ during sleep, your heart works harder raising the level of blood pressure which can in a long run lead to a heart attack or stroke. This is why obstructive sleep apnea should be treated. For some people, loosing extra weight is the key to a full night’s sleep. It’s been scientifically proven that overweight people are more prone to snoring and sleep apnea. Also, avoiding heavy foods before bed, alcohol, sleeping pills and other stronger medication, can help reduce the effects of snoring and sleep apnea. However, for severe cases, Cpap equipment is the only solution as these machines are doctor’s number one choice for treating obstructive sleep apnea.

source: cpapvictoria.com.au