Sleep Apnea Could Be The Reason Your Partner Complains About Your Snoring
Your partner complains about your snoring, but it's not because they like yelling at you. They care about you. This problem can be more serious than just disrupting sleep.
Do you recognize the warning signs of sleep apnea?
More common in men than women, this condition restricts natural breathing while sleeping due to airway muscles relaxing. Undiagnosed sleep apnea is directly tied to an increased risk in cardiovascular and metabolic health. The scariest part? You might not even realize you have this very common problem. Symptoms of sleep apnea include:
Loud snoring
Episodes in which you stop breathing during sleep
Difficulty staying asleep (insomnia)
Excessive daytime sleepiness (hypersomnia)
Irritability
Your partner is the one who notices your nightly interruptions, because you may not. People suffering from sleep apnea don’t always witness the symptoms they are experiencing — it is usually their bed partner. That said, snoring itself—though annoying—isn’t the same as sleep apnea.
Snoring is the vibration sound created by airway resistance. You can have sleep apnea and not snore loudly or much at all. If you are unable to settle into a deep sleep or stay asleep at night, your body is being deprived of crucial nourishment and recuperation.
There’s 2 main types of sleep apnea:
Obstructive
Central
Obstructive
This type of sleep apnea occurs when the throat muscles relax and your airway narrows as you breathe in. A lack of air means lowered levels of oxygen in your blood.
Your brain wakes you up so you can re — establish breathing, but this awakening is so brief, you don’t remember it. Choking, snorting, or gasping may result, and can prevent you from reaching a deep, healthy sleep.
Central
This is a more complex form of sleep apnea and less common. Central Sleep Apnea results when your brain fails to transmit signals to your breathing muscles. This means you stop breathing briefly.
*Enter Dr. Vaughan
We are proud to offer treatments and professional services to patients suffering from sleep apnea and sleep disturbances. If you are concerned you may have this condition, we have the resources and connections to help you breathe better and sleep soundly. We are trained in developing oral sleep appliances, which may be a more comfortable option for you than a CPAP machine. Read more about sleep solutions on our specialized website, Lakeview Sleep Solutions.
