Obstructive sleep apnea is a common sleeping disorder that can significantly impact a person’s ability to breathe. Sleep apnea affects almost 2% to 9% of adults.
Obstructive sleep apnea occurs when the soft tissues of the throat relax narrow down the air passageway and momentarily cut off breathing. Air should be able to travel in and out of the nose and lungs without any obstructions during sleep.
Sleep apnea is when the normal flow of air is repeatedly disrupted.
Let’s take a look at the symptoms of obstructive sleep apnea and how it can impact your health.
Why Does Sleep Apnea Occur?
Soft tissues in the throat normally hold the air passageways open to facilitate breathing. But once these soft muscles, such as the tongue and soft palate, start to relax during sleep, they can close the airway and minimize the space that is required to breathe.
For many people, the narrowing of their airways does not cause them any problems. But people who have a narrow throat might be more susceptible to developing obstructive sleep apnea.
Some of the risk factors include:
- Age – chances of getting obstructive sleep apnea increase with age
- Body mass index
- An enlarged tongue
- Large tonsils
- A small lower jaw that is positioned farther back
Symptoms of Obstructive Sleep Apnea
The symptoms of sleep apnea can include
- Loud snoring
- Choking
- Disrupted breathing while sleeping
- Gasping
- Snorting
People with sleep apnea might also:
- Wake up in the middle of the night with an urge to urinate
- Find themselves tossing and turning while sleeping
- Breath through the mouth
- Experience a headache when they wake up
- Have excessive daytime sleepiness
- Have a dry or sore throat
- Have trouble remembering things
Consult With a Sleep Expert
If you’re feeling excessively tired during the day or have frequently been waking up with a dry mouth and a headache and often feel the need to urinate, it’s likely that you have sleep apnea.
Your partner or a family member might even better understand your condition if they’ve heard you snore or gasp for air during sleep.
If you’re experiencing any of these symptoms, it might be time to consult a sleep expert.
Our sleep coaches at A Better Snooze in Texas aim to employ natural and holistic therapeutic techniques to help people overcome symptoms of a range of sleeping disorders.
With our help, hundreds of our patients have minimized symptoms of insomnia, help with night terrors in adults, anxiety, restless leg syndrome, sleep apnea, and more.
Just drop us a message and we will be more than happy to help you achieve optimized sleep with tried-and-true best natural remedy for sleeplessness.