Snoring is a hallmark of a life-threatening sleep breathing disorder called sleep apnea. This disorder robs your body of oxygen while you sleep, setting you up for potentially fatal conditions, such as:
However, not every snorer has sleep apnea. And not everyone who has sleep apnea snores.
“Apnea” is an ancient Greek word that means “without breath.” So, if you have sleep apnea, you’re literally sleeping without breath … sometimes for seconds, sometimes for a minute or more. Often for hundreds and even thousands of times a night.
Kimberly Bolling, MD, is an expert clinician who specializes in diagnosing and treating sleep apnea.
At our offices in Bowie, Maryland, she arranges for you to take a sleep test that determines if you stop breathing at night, how long those pauses last, how many there are, and how they affect the level of oxygen in your blood.
If you have obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), the most common type of sleep apnea, she may recommend using a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine to ensure you get enough oxygen as you sleep.
If you have central sleep apnea (CSA), or a mixed version, she might recommend other therapies as well.
Would you benefit from a sleep study that determines whether you have OSA? Following are some of the signs that you have OSA or CSA and would benefit from a study and treatment.
A serious sign that you have OSA or CSA is that a good night’s sleep doesn’t lead to a good morning’s energy. In fact, you may wake up feeling more tired and foggy than you did when you went to sleep.
If you have OSA or CSA, it doesn’t really matter how much time you spend in bed. If you’re not sleeping throughout the night, you’re not getting the benefit of that rest.
Daytime drowsiness is, in itself, a life-threatening condition, both for yourself and those around you. Driving while you’re sleepy could lead to a car crash; 6,400 people in the United States die each year due to fatal car crashes caused by drowsy driving. Many more suffer injuries.
You could also hurt yourself or others if your job requires operating machinery. You might fail to pay attention in a situation that requires alertness and fast reflexes.
Experiencing continual apneas while you sleep deprives your brain and other organs of the blood, oxygen, and nutrients they need to repair themselves. The low levels of oxygen in your blood can cause headaches as well as slow down your thinking and responses.
If you snore, you may spend the entire night breathing through your open mouth. This can lead to sore throats as well as cracked lips. Sleeping on your side instead of your back may help you breathe through your nose more easily.
The most telltale sign that you have OSA is that you actually wake yourself up by gagging, choking, or gasping for breath. When some portion of your anatomy blocks your airway, you gag and gasp in an attempt to suck in enough oxygen. The blockage could be caused by:
If you gag or choke yourself awake, don’t delay your sleep study. You don’t even need to continue to the rest of the blog: Call us ASAP.
Even if you’re not aware of snoring, a sleep partner or other family member might be highly aware of this noisy habit. If you’ve been told that you snore, take it seriously.
Not all snoring is a sign of OSA, but it’s still something to be investigated. If your snores can be heard outside your bedroom or are loud enough to awaken a partner, you’d benefit from a sleep study.
Are OSA or CSA at the root of your daytime sleepiness, or other discomforts? Book your sleep study today by calling our office at 301-352-0090, or simply request an appointment online.
