Snoring

Snoring is a common problem. Among adults aged 30-60, 44 percent of men and 28 percent of women snore on a regular basis. It can be worsened temporarily by respiratory infections or allergies. When it is persistent, however, it may be a sign of sleep apnea.

Although being middle-aged or older, male gender, overweight or using sedating substances such as alcohol or certain medications increases the risk, anyone can potentially have sleep apnea.

Who should be tested?

Anyone who snores and frequently feels sleepy during the daytime is at increased risk for sleep apnea and should be tested. You should also talk with your doctor about testing if you snore and have two or more of the following symptoms:

• Wake up not feeling well rested
• Long pauses in breathing while sleeping
• Frequently wake up gasping or choking
• Wake frequently at night
• Poor concentration
• Mood changes
• Frequent morning headaches
• Strange/vivid dreams
• Heartburn
• Obesity
• High blood pressure

How is testing done?

Usually, you will go to a specialized sleep laboratory for overnight observation. Your heart rate and rhythm, breathing rate and effort, oxygen level, brain waves, body position and leg movements will all be monitored. If the test confirms sleep apnea or another sleep disorder, you will be asked to follow up with the sleep specialist to plan treatment.

So I snore and don’t sleep all that great. Still, I’m not sure I really want to go through the testing - does sleep apnea really matter all that much?

Yes. Untreated, sleep apnea affects many parts of your body and can cause both short-term and long-term health problems. In the short term, drowsiness and poor concentration can impair your performance at work. Because of increased sleepiness and worsened reaction time, patients with severe sleep apnea are more than twice as likely to be involved in motor vehicle accidents. Not treating sleep apnea also increases your risk for high blood pressure, heart attack, heart rhythm problems and stroke. Also, many patients are amazed at how much better they feel once they begin treatment, because they have slept poorly for so long.

What treatments are available?

The most effective treatment for sleep apnea is a continuous positive airway pressure machine, or “CPAP”. The machine takes regular room air and pressurizes it slightly to help keep your upper airway from closing off, then delivers it to a mask that you wear while sleeping. Most people are able to adjust to wearing the mask and find that they feel better when they use their CPAP regularly. Other treatments, such as dental appliances and palate surgery, are less effective at preventing apnea and resulting low blood oxygen levels.