Snoring at night is just a sign that one might have sleep apnea. Those with obstructive sleep apnea experience periods of stopped breathing while they sleep because of a blockage in their airway. The blockage is something physical like your tongue falling back into your throat or a weakened soft palate muscle which intrudes on the airway.
When the blockage cuts off the airway, breathing stops and then resumes when the body adjusts to compensate for the blockage. Gasping or snoring usually accompanies the end of the episode as the body attempts to make up for the lack of oxygen.
If you have sleep apnea, you may wake up suddenly in the middle of the night - actually bolting to an upright position - feeling as if you can't catch your breath. Your spouse may also be able to tell you if they believe you stop breathing while you are sleeping. Sleep apnea usually results in daytime sleepiness, as well. It may seem as if no matter how much you sleep, you don't feel rested the next day. This is a result of the lack of oxygen your body is experiencing.
The lack of oxygen can drain you slowly over time and is easily justified by our busy lifestyles and poor sleep habits. Instead, it could be a sign that your body is telling you something is seriously wrong.
It doesn't take a rocket scientist to understand that going through many mini-cycles where your body is lacking oxygen is bad for your health. If you suspect your snoring could be caused by sleep apnea, you should see your doctor. You will probably have to go through a sleep study for the diagnosis to be determined but the prescribed solution will usually leave you feeling much more energized. You may not realize just how much your body is being drained by the condition until you are breathing normally again at night.
The popular snoring remedies won't necessarily work for those with sleep apnea because they only treat the symptom, not the main cause of the snoring.
The main prescription for sleep apnea patients is a CPAP - or continuous positive airway pressure - machine. This machine forces just the right air pressure through your airway to keep the blockage from occurring. Only a doctor can tell you what that appropriate pressure setting is as the force of each person's blockage is unique.
Snoring and sleep apnea both get fixed when the CPAP machine is applied because the root cause of the problem is being addressed.
People are often afraid to find out if their snoring is a sign of sleep apnea because of the thought of having to wear a mask to bed. However, the resulting energy and quality of life that resumes when your sleep improves far outweighs the minor embarrassment you may feel at having to use a CPAP machine.
Talk to just one person with sleep apnea that started using the mask and you'll find users swear by the positive change the machine has brought about in terms of the way they feel each morning when they wake up.
There have also been considerable improvements in the comfort and noise level of CPAP machines. There are several different types of face masks, some much less obtrusive than the large, original full face masks you may have seen in pictures. Your doctor can help you with recommendations.
If you think you suffer from snoring and sleep apnea, see your doctor and they can help you start feeling better in no time.
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