Essential Questions Which May Be an Indication of Sleep Apnea

* Are there periods when you are sleeping that you stop breathing for ten seconds or even longer?
* Do you feel tired and sleepy all day long?
* Do you snore when you sleep?
* Do you have a hard time staying awake during the day?
* Do you have headaches after rising in the morning?

If you answered yes to several of these questions, you are exhibiting symptoms of sleep apnea.  A visit to your physician could be beneficial if conditions persist.

While Sleeping

* Do you snore when you are sleeping?
* Do you wake up and feel as if you are choking?
* Do you have to sleep propped up by pillows?
* Do you wake often during the night for no reason?
* Have you wet your bed lately?

If you answer yes to these questions there is an indication of a sleep disorder that may or may not be sleep apnea.

Emotional Aspects May Be an Indicator

* Do you ever feel that you do not know what is going on around you, that you are unable to keep your mind on the task at hand or feel that you are losing you mind?
* Are you depressed? Do you see no point in getting up in the morning?
* Are you avoiding your friend because they tell you are acting strange?
* Does everything get on your nerves? Do you feel angry a lot of the time?

Yes answers mean something is not right. These are not normal emotions and could well mean the existence of an underlying disorder.

Physical Well-Being

* Can you breathe through your nose or does it stay stopped up all the time?
* Do you have any of the following?
1) high blood pressure
2) heart disease
3) pain in the joints
4) severe esophageal reflux

* Do you have relatives who have been diagnosed with sleep apnea?
* Are you heavier than you should be?
* Men – Do you have a collar size of 17 inches or more?
* Is your chin small and do you have a receding jaw?
* Do you drink alcohol before retiring for the evening?

The answers to these questions may mean that you are at risk for sleep apnea. You may already have it and this could be the reason for your yes answers to the above questions. If you have answered these questions positively you should definitely go to your family doctor for a physical exam and find out if you have sleep apnea. It does not hurt to check and it may just prolong your life if you find out you do have this disorder.  Left untreated sleep apnea causes serious health problems.

Do I Have Sleep Apnea?

How would you know if this is happening to you? If you wake in the night on one or more occasions and feel as though you are having trouble breathing, you may want to speak with your doctor. He can set up a polysomnogram which will determine if indeed you are suffering from sleep apnea. This entails an overnight study of your sleeping habits in a laboratory setting. If you are suffering from this disorder, it is imperative that you get treatment right away.

Because sleep apnea happens when the upper airway either collapses or is blocked, this can be a very dangerous problem. Not only could you stop breathing for good but you could develop high blood pressure, heart problems including failure and strokes.

What Causes Sleep Apnea?

There are two different types of sleep apnea. The one most people have is obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). This is normally a problem caused by the soft tissue in the back of the throat. It collapses while you are asleep, blocking the air flow and causing the sufferer to stop breathing.

Central sleep apnea (CSA) is not caused by the airway becoming blocked. This is a result of the brain not telling the muscles to breathe. Either way you are not breathing so this can be very scary. Answer a few questions and see if you are included in the risk factor segment of the population.

Are you:

* a male
* overweight
* over age 40

Do you:

* have a large neck
* have a family history of sleep apnea
* have large tonsils
* snore loudly and habitually
* choke or gasp for air when sleeping
* feel sleepy all day long
* have trouble concentrating
* have a dry throat when you wake up
* feel easily annoyed during the day

These are a few of the symptoms that may mean you have sleep apnea. If you are worried that you may have it you really should see your doctor. This just may save your life. Sometimes the cure for sleep apnea can be as simple as removing your tonsils. This can cure it once and for all.

Since there are no blood tests that will reveal the diagnosis, the condition cannot be diagnosed without a test administered in a laboratory. The fact is most people do not even know they have sleep apnea unless someone else has noticed they wake often during the night gasping for breath. The mind does not register this is happening when you are asleep.

If you suspect that you may have sleep apnea, it would be in your interest to schedule a doctor visit to discuss this disorder. Since it can lead to other serious health problems as well, it is essential that you find out if you are suffering from this malady. Children can even have sleep apnea so the problem is not concentrated entirely on any one segment of the population.