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Battling Sleep Apnea While Pregnant

Getting a full night of sleep when you’re pregnant can be difficult –– especially if your baby is active in the evening. One of the problems that can contribute to your lack of sleep is a condition called obstructive sleep apnea. While many people think it only affects men, women can struggle with it as well. It can be detrimental to productive sleep patterns on its own, but when paired with pregnancy, several new health risks can come into play.

Sleep apnea during pregnancy can cause:

  • Preeclampsia. This refers to a potentially deadly condition in pregnant women that causes their blood pressure to spike. The only cure is to deliver your baby. Delivery may be delayed if you are not close to term.
  • Higher likelihood of cesarean section. Also known as a C-section, this method of birth occurs through a surgical procedure. It may be necessary if your labor has slowed or stopped, the baby is distressed or if the infant is too large to be delivered vaginally.
  • Increased daytime fatigue. Usually the result of insomnia or another sleep problem, daytime fatigue can lead to you missing work, making poor decisions, obesity, diabetes, depression and substance abuse.

Sleep apnea in women can be commonly misdiagnosed as chronic fatigue syndrome, insomnia or even depression.

Treating Obstructive Sleep Apnea with My CPAP Club

Being pregnant can slightly elevate your risk of obstructive sleep apnea, so it’s important that you recognize common signs and symptoms. Those include snoring, lapses in breathing while asleep, gasping when sleeping and fatigue that persists throughout the day.

Thankfully, you don’t have to struggle with sleep apnea. The courteous and understanding professionals at My CPAP Club have several remedies available for people who are suffering from various sleep disorders. Best of all, our customized solutions are available to ship anywhere in the United States –– meaning the care that we recommend has virtually no bounds. To learn more about how My CPAP Club can help you in your fight against sleep apnea, contact us online through our customer inquiry form.

Having Trouble Sleeping While Pregnant? Keep Tabs On Your Eating Habits

Experiencing some difficulty falling asleep (and staying asleep) is not uncommon for women who are pregnant. There are, however, some ways that you can make falling asleep harder on yourself. We’re talking about binge eating.

Some eating disorders in the United States can be linked to sleep patterns, such as feeling the need to eat to go back to sleep. For some, this eating pattern may also occur while they are not aware of it, such as when sleepwalking. For others, it is defined as “night eating syndrome” –– which refers to having to eat or feel full before being able to sleep.

What is the difference between late-night snack cravings and night eating syndrome? Here are a few ways you can assess if you’re suffering from the latter:

  • Lessened appetite for breakfast or morning meals
  • Inability to fall asleep once waking up in the middle of the night
  • Eating the bulk of your daily food intake after normal dinner hours

While binge eating as it relates to sleep can affect both men and women, it’s more common with women. This is particularly important to note for pregnant women, as they can be susceptible to binge eating during and after pregnancy. This can interrupt sleep patterns (especially if you feel the need to eat to go back to sleep) and negatively impact your overall health through the increased intake of calories. Disrupted sleep can also result in less deep sleep, more hours spent awake in the middle of the night, additional discomfort and breathing issues.

Ways to Avoid Binge Eating at Night

Thankfully, there are some techniques you can use to curb nighttime food cravings. The sleep experts at My CPAP Club have compiled a list of ways to avoid or treat night eating syndrome. They include:

  • Stress management instruction (if sleeping patterns are anxiety-related)
  • Prescribed medication
  • Limiting caffeine intake
  • Treatment at a monitored sleep lab (for observation of brain pattern and activity)

If you’re pregnant and experiencing difficulty sleeping or wrestling with binge eating at night, the solutions you need start at My CPAP Club. Call us today at 1-888-272-7050 or contact us online with this or any other sleep disorder questions.