Not getting enough sleep at night might make you feel groggy and irritable for the whole day. When you are spending sleepless nights due to sleep apnea, it will affect your health as well as your quality of life. Up to one out of three adults in the USA suffer from obstructive sleep apnea. If you are getting up in the middle of the night gasping for air or feeling choked and unable to breathe, you need to get yourself checked as you might be suffering from sleep apnea. Because of this, you will experience daytime sleepiness and brain fog as you are not sleeping enough at night even though you are spending quite a long time in bed.
What is Sleep Apnea?
Sleep apnea is a sleep disorder where the patient fails to breathe normally while sleeping. Studies show that around 12% of all Americans suffer from sleep apnea. And unfortunately, 80% of the total cases remain undiagnosed. While obesity and age can cause this disorder, sleep apnea can even happen to a patient who is young and of healthy weight. However, the increasing obesity rate of the population is a clear sign that more and more people are suffering from sleep apnea. And if you are suffering from this disorder, you need to go for sleep apnea treatment Charlotte NC. Where should you go for the treatment? Search for the oral surgeons in my area to find the right doctor.
Symptoms of Sleep Apnea
The symptoms of sleep apnea might include:
- Loud snoring
- Snorting and gasping in sleep
- Daytime sleepiness
- Poor fragmented sleep at night
- Frequent awakening
- Waking up with the sensation of choking
When the patient with sleep apnea wakes up in the middle of the night, it will only take a few moments to resume breathing again. Often the patients might not even realize that they have got up at night.
Severe Sleep Disruption
When you are going to sleep apnea doctors near me, they will ask you about the pattern of your disrupted sleep. Generally, with mild sleep apnea, a patient wakes up every four minutes. A person can wake up at least fifteen times during sleep due to obstructed breathing. Along with the feeling of unrest, the patient might develop cardiovascular issues due to sleep apnea.
Treatment
While the common treatment of sleep apnea is about delivering pressured air with the CPAP masks, the patient can go for lifestyle changes too. Often the patient is supposed to lose weight to get better. In severe cases, the patient might require sleep apnea surgery too.
Sleeping Positions that can Help with Sleep Apnea
While dealing with sleep apnea can be difficult, you can also do something to reduce the discomfort or to get better sleep at night. The following sleep positions will help you deal with sleep apnea.
- Sleeping on your right
- Sleeping on your left
- Sleeping on your belly
- Sleeping on your back with the head elevated
When you are sleeping flat on your back, due to the gravity your sleep apnea can get worse. But when you are sleeping on your left or right side, the airway will not become obstructed. This will help you reduce snoring and deal with sleep apnea.
While sleeping on your stomach might feel awkward and uncomfortable, you can invest in the pillows made for this position. This will help you immensely. If you have to sleep on your back, make sure that your head is elevated from your body. Use a thicker pillow or two pillows to support your head and neck. Sleep apnea patients might also have acid reflux which is why you need to find the right pillow that will support you while sleeping on your back.
How to Manage Sleep Apnea if Symptoms are Noticeable?
It can be tricky to find out if one has sleep apnea or not. Even if someone is not getting up gasping for air, might be suffering from sleep apnea. That is why even if you don’t waste up in the middle of the night and yet you have disturbed sleep patterns and fatigue during the day, you should get a consultation. At the same time, you need to make some lifestyle changes.
Changing your food habit can be helpful for you especially if you are obese. Obesity can be a big reason for sleep apnea. That is why watching your weight is often suggested by doctors. You need to make sure that your weight remains in check. Otherwise, the problem of obtrusive sleep apnea might increase. If you are not willing to use a CPAP machine, you might be given oral appliances to manage the snoring and breathing when you are sleeping. Managing sleep apnea can become easier if you are consulting the right doctor. You need to find an oral and maxillofacial surgeon in your area. They will be able to find out how severe your sleep apnea is and how you can manage it.
So, what are you waiting for? Go to your nearby oral and maxillofacial surgeon right away and get rid of this issue with sleep.