If you chronically feel tired and sleepy throughout the day, as if you haven’t gotten enough sleep, you may be like the millions of other Americans who suffer from excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS). While EDS is a health concern in and of itself, it may also be symptomatic of a greater health problem, sleep apnea. Knowing if or when you should attribute daytime drowsiness to EDS is an important step in addressing this serious health issue.
To establish whether or not you may be experiencing EDS, it is best to consult a doctor. However, there are a few questions worth considering if you’re on the fence about making an appointment:
Experiencing any of these effects of EDS can be detrimental to your well-being and that of others. It can impact your job performance and even endanger people’s lives due to otherwise avoidable motor vehicle accidents.
Beyond the health risks already mentioned, there are other severe consequences that can result from leaving EDS and its greater cause untreated. If you continue to endure the debilitating effects of a sleep disorder like sleep apnea without seeking adequate treatment, you may be at risk of developing the following:
To avoid serious consequences to your health, you should seek help immediately. For questions regarding sleep apnea and its treatments, contact My CPAP Club today. If you are already suffering major health problems, make sure to talk to your primary care physician.
Have you ever wondered what causes snoring? If you’re concerned about snoring, you’re not alone. Plenty of people snore for a range of reasons. Below, we’ve provided some of most common causes of snoring, as well as when to be concerned about snoring as a symptom of sleep apnea.
Do you only snore on occasion? Have you noticed any pattern to when you snore versus when you don’t? For people who snore infrequently, some of the most common causes are:
All the factors mentioned above are changeable actions or states, and therefore contribute to infrequent snoring. Alcohol relaxes the muscles in your throat, which decreases your body’s ability to defend against airway obstruction while you sleep. Drinking less at night or possibly waiting longer to go to bed after consuming alcohol will help to prevent this from happening, and likely take care of your snoring problem as well. Taking daily allergy medicine or a nasal decongestant before bed can help to open up your sinuses, which may also decrease the likelihood of snoring.
When it comes to your body’s position during sleep, it is true that sleeping on your back makes snoring more likely. However, other factors, both internal and external are also at play. If you have a tendency to shift positions during sleep so that you end up on your back, this may be the cause of your snoring. Consider changing this behavior, as this kind of snoring can lead to more serious health issues, including obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).
While the previously mentioned reasons for snoring are somewhat manageable, there are additional causes for snoring that aren’t necessarily under your control. These include bodily conditions, such as:
When snoring is the result of any of these factors, it is generally indicative of sleep apnea, which is a serious health issue that affects millions of Americans. Fortunately, there are methods of treating OSA. These methods have the combined effect of preventing both snoring and any airway obstruction during sleep.
To learn more about sleep apnea and its treatments, contact My CPAP Club today. We’ll help you sleep soundly — without snoring — once again.
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:
Sleep apnea in women can be commonly misdiagnosed as chronic fatigue syndrome, insomnia or even depression.
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.
Although sleep apnea and insomnia are both sleep disorders, they are caused by different complications in the body, some more serious than others. Learning which sleep disorder you suffer from is especially important to your health, as sleep apnea can require immediate medical attention.
Insomnia affects 30 percent of the general population and is characterized by a difficulty with falling asleep and/or staying asleep. It can be exacerbated by anxiety over not getting enough sleep and is often unknowingly propagated by the habits you keep. Some of the lifestyle choices and actions that contribute to insomnia are as follows:
Insomnia comes in three main categories: Transient, intermittent and chronic insomnia. Transient — or temporary — insomnia can last anywhere from one to several nights and is most often the result of stress or emotion. Intermittent insomnia occurs irregularly, and is most often caused by built-up stress of anxiety. People with chronic insomnia experience sleepless or restless nights most of the week, for periods of at least two weeks, as a result of varying medical conditions.
Chronic insomnia can impact your health and hamper productivity, often leading to depression, diabetes and daytime drowsiness. Left long enough, insomnia can cause you to become easily distracted, which makes you far more likely to become injured while at home, in your workplace or behind the wheel of a car. If you think you might be suffering from insomnia, get in touch with us today to learn how you can get back to a regular full night’s sleep.
Affecting up to 10 percent of adults, sleep apnea is most common among men and those who are overweight, middle-aged and/or diabetic. Sleep apnea comes in two forms: obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and central sleep apnea (CSA). OSA has a strong correlation with snoring, while CSA is highly correlated with heart failure. OSA is particularly hazardous, as it causes you to stop breathing for periods of 10 seconds or more, resulting in a serious lack of oxygen. Both forms of sleep apnea are enough of a health concern that you should take immediate steps to ensure your health and safety.
If left untreated, sleep apnea puts you at increased risk of the following health issues: