What is Sleep Apnea and How to Treat It 

Headaches. Daytime Sleepiness. Loud Snoring. Mood Changes. Waking Up in the middle of the night. Pauses in breath when sleeping. Exhausted when waking up. Have you experienced any of these or has someone you know said these things about you? If so, you may have sleep apnea.  

It is often that people with sleep apnea do not know what it is, and they do not even know they have it!  

What is Sleep Apnea?  

Sleep Apnea is a sleeping disorder that can cause disruptions in your breathing, having it stop and start while you are sleeping. This happens due to two reasons. The first is your airway being blocked, and the second is because your brain doesn’t correctly control your breathing.  

The lack of oxygen gives your body a survival reflex and helps it wake up, just enough to resume breathing. This can lead to having bad nights of sleep and restless sleep which can have other effects such as putting stress on your heart.  

How Does it Affect My Sleep or My Life? 

Sleep apnea not only affects your sleep but it also affects the way you live. Sleep apnea will increase your risk of several conditions that can be life-threatening medical emergencies.  

As stated at the beginning of this blog, all those symptoms can lead to further issues such as: heart damage or failure, cardiac death, daytime downiness, and arrhythmias. Sleep apnea is a serious medical issue that should be made aware of if you have it and treated correctly.  

How To Treat Sleep Apnea? 

If you think you have sleep apnea, then you should get a test or a sleep study. CPAPrx offers a sleep study that is simple, and you can take it in the comfort of your own bed. There is another test called a polysomnogram, where one would have to get to a medical facility, also known as a sleep lab, to receive this test. 

Once you find out if you have sleep apnea there are different ways to go about it. One way is to use a continuous positive airway (CPAP) pressure mask at night. There are many different styles that these masks come in, so finding the right fit for you is ideal.  

If a mask or machine does not treat your sleep apnea or does not fit your needs, surgery is another route one can go to help treat sleep apnea. You can receive jaw surgery, removal of tissue, upper airway stimulation, and surgical opening in the neck, to help treat sleep apnea.  

Sleep Apnea can be confusing, and figuring out what is right for you is key to the success of your health. You can contact CPAPrx at (886)-406-1978 or email sleeptight@cpaprx.com for any of your needs. To view frequently asked questions (FAQs) click here.