You need healthy sleep for living a good healthy life. However, if you have sleep apnea and have not been diagnosed, your healthy life may be in danger.
Sleep apnea is a common sleep disorder that affects about 1 in 5 people. Sleep apnea is a potentially serious sleep disorder in which breathing repeatedly stops and starts while you sleep. These pauses in breathing can happen 30 times or more per hour. When healthy sleep is interrupted in this way, it puts a strain on the heart and can lead to a number of serious health conditions.
Sleep apnea occurs in two main types:
- Obstructive Sleep Apnea – which is more common, occurs when the throat muscles relax and the airway collapses
- Central Sleep Apnea - this form occurs when your brain doesn't send proper signals to the muscles that control breathing
Anyone can develop this condition, but it’s most common in people who are overweight or middle-aged. A history of snoring points to the possibility of sleep apnea. Experts say it’s on the rise for Americans who have been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure.
Key signs and symptoms:
- Excessive daytime sleepiness
- Loud or disruptive snoring
- Gasping or choking during sleep
Other common symptoms include poor concentration – possibly an accident at work or while driving, depression, lack of energy or morning headaches. Increasing risk factors for sleep apnea have been shown in large neck size (greater than 17 inches in men and more than 16 inches in women) and increasing age.
Sleep apnea has been linked to obesity, a common risk factor for diabetes, according to Elizabeth Bashoff, M.D., physician at Joslin Diabetes Center in Boston. Sleep apnea treatment has been shown to improve glucose control in people with diabetes.
To help find out if you have sleep apnea, discuss your symptoms with your physician and remember to include any other health conditions such as high blood pressure, diabetes or heart disease. As a next step your physician may suggest an overnight sleep study, either in a laboratory or in your home.