The Trouble With Sleep Apnea

Sometimes getting a full night’s sleep isn’t enough to feel rested the next morning. You climb into bed exactly eight hours before your alarm goes off, but despite spending a third of your day asleep, when you wake up you find yourself wondering what you were doing in all that time, because it certainly doesn’t feel like rest.

There are any number of reasons which may be responsible for this situation: habits, diet, an overreliance on caffeine. However, there is one possibility which you may not even be aware of: sleep apnea.

An Unconscious Problem

When you fall asleep, your muscles relax to one degree or another. You keep breathing and your heart keeps pumping, of course, but even the muscles involved in these activities slow down to a certain extent. Many people snore in their sleep because the muscles in their throats relax, too, and the air makes a sound as it moves through the narrowed passageway.

Sleep apnea is what happens when your throat relaxes to the point where it closes altogether. Suddenly, you aren’t getting any oxygen into your blood, and so your brain forces you awake so that your muscles will tighten up and you can start breathing again. In most cases, you don’t wake up to the point where you’d remember it later, but it’s still enough to interrupt your sleep cycle and leave you feeling drowsy and worn out the morning after.

Sleep apnea has a variety of potential causes, including obesity, age, smoking, alcohol and other muscle relaxants, and diabetes. Someone who snores loudly is more likely to suffer from sleep apnea, but it’s not a guarantee (especially since you have to breathe in order to snore). This condition has been identified in millions of Americans and likely affects millions more who simply think that fatigue is a way of life.

Common Cures

Although sleep apnea can cause a lot of trouble, the problem is simple and there are many possible solutions.

For instance, your answer could be as simple as sleeping on your side. If your sleep apnea is related to obesity or smoking, then taking steps towards a healthier lifestyle could also get rid of the problem.

However, if changing your behavior doesn’t help, there are other potential solutions. One is the continuous positive airway pressure device, or CPAP. The CPAP keeps your airway open by using pressure, forcing air into your lungs past any obstruction. Another helpful device is the mandibular splint, which works by attaching to your teeth and pulling your jaw forward slightly, lessening the pressure on your throat. The splint can also help with regular snoring, and most dentists are able to create one customized for your mouth.

Sleep apnea is more common than most people suspect, especially since they’re more likely to blame any nights of poor sleep on something they’re actually aware of. However, if sleeping is your problem, then keeping your throat open may be your solution.