Do you snore? Do you feel excessively tired during the day? If so, you might be suffering from sleep apnea.
But what is sleep apnea and why should you be aware of the condition?
According to the Mayo Clinic, sleep apnea is a potentially serious sleep disorder in which breathing repeatedly stops and starts.
Left undiagnosed and untreated, sleep apnea can have negative consequences on your health.
In this article, I will discuss 5 signs that you might have sleep apnea–and what you can do about it.
But first, a little background about myself and my company. My name is Vick Tipnes. I founded Blackstone Medical Services in 2012 with the mission to help as many people as I could to overcome sleep apnea by providing better costs, access, and quality with at-home sleep testing.
I started the business in my kitchen, and today, Blackstone is a 5X Inc 5,000 Award-winning company with over 300 employees. We are the largest provider of at-home sleep testing in the United States, and perhaps in the world.
Survey says…
According to a survey done in the sleep-disorder field, 89% of participants claimed they knew of the sleep apnea disorder. But 33% of participants in the survey were unaware that treating sleep apnea could noticeably reduce health risks related to cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and strokes.
Also, 25% said they were not aware or could not believe that snoring could signify a major health issue. And 23% mentioned that they would have to first put thought into it before reaching out for any medical advice related to sleep problems. The remaining 28% expressed they wouldn’t seek any kind of medical attention for it at all.
What may seem like a natural sleep behavior may create a domino-like health effect with side effects discussed in this article.
Let’s discuss the top signs and symptoms to look for to examine whether or not you find yourself being a victim of this “sleeping giant” disorder – sleep apnea.
1. Snoring & Choking
You may have found yourself waking up in the middle of the night to your own snoring or feeling like you were being choked, to just quickly fall back asleep and forget what had occurred.
An excellent way to be aware of this symptom is to ask your partner if you do this in your sleep or try an at-home sleep test.
2. Dry Mouth & Sore Throat When Waking Up
You may drink plenty of water regularly but still find yourself waking up with a dry mouth or somewhat of a sore throat when you wake up.
This is also one of the common telltale signs of sleep apnea in individuals suffering from the disorder.
This sign is more noticeable than others and is worth checking for sleep apnea in case of any long-term effects the disorder may cause.
3. Poor Memory & Difficulty Learning
You may be wondering how poor memory and difficulty learning is linked to sleep apnea.
Studies have shown that these signs and side effects linked to sleep apnea are due to the amount of oxygen a person can take in in the middle of the night. This is related to the brain’s day-to-day functions like memory and learning ability.
This could be a common reason why individuals feel as if they have “early signs of dementia.”
4. Feelings of Depression
Depression has become a more common epidemic year after year, which could also be linked to sleep apnea.
As someone lives with sleep apnea, they become a victim of a wide range of side effects like insufficient sleep and other factors that contribute to people’s day-to-day moods.
Some other common factors that could be contributing to someone’s feeling of depression as a result of sleep apnea are:
- Hormonal Imbalance
- Inflammation
- Weak Bone Health
- Weight Gain
- Loss of Concentration & Focus
5. Waking Up To Urinate
Waking up to go to the restroom every night may seem common enough, when in fact, it can frequently be a sign of sleep apnea.
This sign is common with most people who snore because individuals who wake themselves up in the night suddenly need to go to the restroom.
Conclusion
Although something as simple as waking up with a dry mouth or snoring may seem like a typical sleep disruptor, these signs have been shown to have long term health effects that stem from sleep apnea.
Fortunately, the sleep disorder industry has advanced far enough to detect these disorders to further prevent any short-term or long-term health issues.
If you have any of the above symptoms, I always recommend that you reach out to your health care professional.
Blackstone Medical Services has been the leading service provider in the home sleep testing industry for the last 10 years by providing at-home sleep tests straight to patients’ homes.
This allows practices to direct individuals to test their sleep patterns without being referred to a sleep disorder specialist or do other in-office tests, which can be extremely cost-prohibitive.
To learn more about Blackstone Medical Services and sleep testing, visit our website: https://www.blackstonemedicalservices.com/ for more information on how you can provide better sleep for yourself or patients.
-VT