Sleep apnea is a killer. Many people do not even realize they have the condition until it is too late. There are stories by the dozens of two spouses going to sleep and only one waking up. It is a very serious situation.
Many just go through their lives thinking they simply have a severe snoring problem, and that as long as people are outside of earshot, nobody is getting hurt. But, sleep apnea is more than just loud snoring.
Sleep apnea is a relatively common disorder in which the sufferer has pauses in their breathing, sometimes one, two, or more, or where their breath goes very shallow during the night, where they are barely breathing at all. These pauses in breathing can last for just a few seconds to a minute or more and may occur up to 30 times or more per hour. Typically, normal breathing resumes and that is when you hear the loud snort or even a choking type of sound.
Sleep apnea isn’t something that goes away without treatment. It is typically a chronic condition that disrupts the sleeper, not allowing them to get the kind of quality sleep they need. These disruptions in sleep rob the sleeper of the deep sleep they need because the pauses in breathing kick the body out of deep sleep and into a light sleep. This often results in the sleep apnea sufferer being tired throughout the day. It is the leading cause of excessive sleepiness during the day.
If you have sleep apnea and your case goes untreated, you face a risk of stroke that is four times greater than those who do not have the condition. In addition to the higher risk of stroke, you are also three times as likely to have heart disease. Because of the stress on your body from the interrupted sleep patterns and the way your body reacts to them, you could face more than just a heightened risk of stroke or heart disease, you could end up passing away in your sleep.
For quite some time, sleep apnea sufferers had to find a sleep doctor who would bring you into the lab to test you for the condition. That is still a way to go, but before you do that, you can now take advantage of the home sleep test for sleep apnea. In the privacy of your on sleeping quarters, you can take a home sleep test for sleep apnea and determine once and for all if you just snore or if you need to get some real treatment for your condition.
If you do have sleep apnea, there are several things that can be done to help regulate your breathing and allow you to get the kind of healthy sleep you really need. The CPAP mask and the CPAP machine can bring you significant relief, depending on your particular condition. CPAP stands for Continuous Positive Airway Pressure, and CPAP masks can restore your airway pressure so that you no longer have the interruptions of your breathing during sleep sessions.
With the new home sleep test for sleep apnea, you can know what is going on with your snoring and help your doctor figure out what sleeping devices would be right for you. It is your sleep. It is your life. Take the time to take the at home test so that you know what you are dealing with. You will be glad you did and so will your family.