You could be suffering from sleep apnea and not
even know it – since it happens only when you’re
sleep. And if you live alone, it is even harder
to detect..
The symptoms of sleep apnea
While there may be no visible symptoms of sleep
apnea, feeling tired an worn out all day and
falling asleep during the day are good indicators.
This is because sleep apnea iliterally robs you
of sleep as it can cause you to stop breathing —
as many as 50 or a 100 times during the night.
And these interruptions take their toll.
Diagnosing sleep apnea
If you do feel tired and fatigued all day, you
absolutely should see a doctor. He or she will
do a physical exam and take a medical history.
This history typically ncludes asking you and
your family questions about how you sleep and how
you function during the day. You doctor will most
likely check your mouth, nose, and throat for
extra or large tissues. such as your tonsils,
uvula, and soft palate.
Your doctor may also order a sleep test. This
test is often done in a sleep center or sleep
laboratory, which may be part of a hospital. You
will probably stay overnight., although sleep
studies can sometimes done in the home. The most
common sleep recording used to find out if you
have sleep apnea is called a polysomnogram or PSG.
This PSG records:
Brain activity
Eye movement
Muscle activity
Breathing and heart rate
How much air moves in and out of your lungs while
you are sleeping
The percentage of oxygen in your blood
Once this test has been completed, you doctor
will review the results. If it is clear that you
do have sleep apnea, your doctor will work with
you and your family to develop a treatment plan.
And you’ll soon be on your way to a good night’s
sleep and better days.