It’s important to catch sleep apnea as soon as possible to prevent serious health complications.
It would be more than a little frightening if you noticed that you stopped breathing or experienced pauses in breathing for several seconds at a time throughout the day; however, if you suffer from sleep apnea, this is what happens when you go to sleep at night. In fact, sleep apnea occurs in about one out of every 15 people and as many as 80 percent of those people are undiagnosed. As our Bradenton, FL, sleep medicine specialist Dr. Jeremy McConnell can tell you, it’s important that you recognize the warning signs so that you can seek the treatment you need to manage this condition.
The Warning Signs of Sleep Apnea
You may not recognize the signs of sleep apnea, especially because you’re asleep when it’s happening; however, perhaps your bed partner has noticed some of the signs. If you are concerned about sleep apnea, you may tell your partner to be on the lookout for,
- Extremely loud snoring that occurs most nights (perhaps your partner has already complained about your snoring)
- Gasping or choking while asleep
Sleep apnea also causes a host of problems for the sufferer. So, while you may not be able to tell that you snore or that you gasp for air while you sleep, you may notice these other classic symptoms,
- Extremely fatigue, particularly when waking up, despite getting enough sleep
- Frequent morning headaches
- Dry mouth or sore throat when waking up
- Brain fog and poor memory
- Trouble concentrating
- Restless sleep
- Increase in anxiety and/or depression
If you are experiencing any of these symptoms it’s time to speak with our Bradenton, Fl, sleep doctor. A simple sleep study can determine whether or not you have sleep apnea. It’s important that you don’t ignore the warning signs of sleep apnea, as untreated sleep apnea can increase your risk for,
- Injuries and accidents
- Diabetes
- Heart disease
- Heart attack
- Hypertension
- Stroke
Treating Sleep Apnea
Our sleep specialist Dr. McConnell can provide you with CPAP therapy, which is a machine that delivers pressurized air through a mask that you wear over your nose or mouth while you sleep to keep airways open. Of course, not everyone is a candidate for CPAP treatment. If so, we may discuss the possibility of using an oral device that can be worn over your upper and lower teeth while you sleep.
If you have questions about ways to treat sleep apnea or you are experiencing symptoms of this sleep disorder, schedule a consultation with Dr. McConnell and his team here at Florida Sleep Specialists by calling (941) 792-8383.
