Sleep Apnea: Types,Symptoms & Diagnosis Guide for Restful Nights

Have you been frequently waking up gasping for breath every night? Are you a heavy snorer and don’t know how to stop snoring? We understand your predicament and your struggle is very real. However, you are not alone. With millions of people snoring every night, the risk of sleep apnea is always lurking around the corner.

The condition that causes breathing interruptions while you sleep is commonly referred to as “sleep apnea.” In fact, the word “apnea” is Greek for “breathless.” Basically, the condition causes you to stop breathing momentarily. Thankfully, your brain attempts to protect you and awakens you so you start breathing again. Unfortunately, this issue prevents you from getting the healthy, rejuvenating sleep that you need. Furthermore, over time, this disorder can lead to more serious and even life-threating complications. Sleep deprivation can be very difficult to handle as your productivity at work and other personal relationships go south, due to poor concentration, constant drowsiness, higher irritability and behavioral changes.

However, in the majority of the cases out there, the condition is manageable with the proper diagnoses and treatments that are currently prescribed by doctors today. If you have any of the symptoms of sleep apnea (see below) or you think you may have this condition, you should see your doctor or healthcare provider as soon as possible. The failure to do so can lead to serious consequences such as diabetes, heart attacks, liver problems, and strokes. Your doctor will recommend blood work and maybe even a sleep lab study to pinpoint the root cause of your snoring. If there are other ailments or lifestyle issues that are contributing to your snoring, it is time to delve into it.

Types of Sleep Apnea

In order to learn more about sleep apnea and how to treat the disorder, it’s important to know which type you may be affected by. There are 3 types of sleep apnea:

Central sleep apnea (CSA) – occurs when your brain fails to send the proper signals to the muscles responsible for controlling your breathing

Complex sleep apnea – also referred to as “treatment-emergent central sleep apnea”, occurs when an individual has OSA (confirmed by a sleep study) and it converts to CSA during OSA therapy

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) – as the most common type of sleep apnea, OSA occurs when the muscles in your throat relax and restrict your airflow

Again, if you suspect you may have this disorder, consider seeing your doctor as soon as you can. They can provide an accurate sleep apnea diagnosis and recommend anti-snoring products that can help ease your breathing interruptions. In the more severe cases, they may recommend some type of corrective surgery that can help alleviate your breathing and snoring issues.

Also Read: 11 Best Home Remedies for Snoring

Who is commonly affected by Central and Obstructive Sleep Apnea?

Sleep apnea is not exclusively an adult sleeping disorder and can affect all age groups from infants to the elderly. Central sleep apnea is common among:

Adults 60 years of age and older
Individuals who live at higher altitudes
Individuals who take opioid-based pain relievers
Individuals who use CPAP machines (these devices can trigger complex or treatment-emergent central sleep apnea)
Individuals with heart conditions such as A-fib and CHF

Obstructive sleep apnea, on the other hand, is more common among certain groups of individuals and under certain circumstances including:

Asians, Blacks, and Hispanics
Individuals who are obese or excessively overweight
Men younger than 50 years of age
Women older than 50 years of age

While the disorder is often considered uncommon though widespread, statistics show that it affects 5% to 10% of men and women globally.

Common Sleep Apnea Symptoms

Because the symptoms of CSA and OSA often overlap, determining or diagnosing the specific type of the disorder that you have can be difficult in some situations. The most common symptoms of the two include:

Difficulty concentrating
Gasping for air while sleeping
Hypersomnia (excessive daytime sleepiness)
Insomnia or difficulties staying asleep
Interrupted breathing episodes during sleep (reported by another individual)
Irritability and mood swings
Loud snoring
Morning headaches
Waking up with a dry mouth

Any of these symptoms or a combination thereof could indicate a potentially serious or even life-threatening problem. However, not every individual with sleep apnea is a snorer. The best thing you can do if you suspect you’re a sleep apnea sufferer is to talk to your doctor or healthcare provider. They can provide a proper sleep apnea diagnosis and even recommend some effective anti-snoring products to help with the issue.

Also Read: Can Exercise Help You Reduce A Snoring Problem?

How is Sleep Apnea Diagnosed?

If you are showing signs of sleep apnea or its symptoms, your doctor may recommend a number of different studies or tests to provide an accurate sleep apnea diagnosis. These tests may include a:

Electrocardiogram (EKG)
Electroencephalogram (EEG)
Eectromyogram (EMG)
Electrooculogram (EOG)
Imaging
Nasal airflow sensor test
Polysomnogram or sleep study
Snore microphone test

In order to provide a more accurate sleep apnea diagnosis, your doctor will review the results of these tests along with your medical history and symptoms. He or she may also speak to your partner or spouse regarding your snoring episodes such as how and when you snore. This will help them to better assess your condition. You might want to disclose all that information to a doctor if you are snoring heavily and regularly every night.

Is there a Solution that alleviates Snoring Episodes?

The short answer is “YES!” TannerMedico has developed Asonor Anti-snoring Spray and Solution, a clinically proven effective product that alleviates or reduces snoring in 75% of the cases studied during the research and formulation of it. For additional information about this phenomenal product, please visit our website or if you prefer, you can send your questions to [email protected].