WHAT IS SLEEP APNEA?

Sleep apnea is a common disorder in which you have one or more pauses in breathing or shallow breaths while you sleep.
Breathing pauses can last from a few seconds to minutes. They often occur 5 to 30 times or more an hour. Typically, normal breathing then starts again, sometimes with a loud snort or choking sound.
Sleep apnea usually is a chronic (ongoing) condition that disrupts your sleep 3 or more nights each week. You often move out of deep sleep and into light sleep when your breathing pauses or becomes shallow.
This results in poor sleep quality that makes you tired during the day. Sleep apnea is one of the leading causes of excessive daytime sleepiness.
Overview
Sleep apnea often goes undiagnosed. Doctors usually can't detect the condition during routine office visits. Also, there are no blood tests for the condition.
Most people who have sleep apnea don't know they have it because it only occurs during sleep. A family member and/or bed partner may first notice the signs of sleep apnea.

HOW'S YOUR SLEEP?

DOES ANY OF THE FOLLOWING APPLY TO YOU:

• Snore loudly
  
• You or others have observed that you stop breathing or gasp for breath during sleep
  
• Feel sleepy or doze off while watching TV, reading, driving or engaged in daily activities
  
• Have difficulty sleeping 3 nights a week or more (e.g., trouble falling asleep, wake frequently during the night, wake too early and cannot get back to sleep or wake unrefreshed)
  
• Feel unpleasant, tingling, creeping feelings or nervousness in your legs when trying to sleep
  
• Interruptions to your sleep (e.g., nighttime heartburn, bad dreams, pain, discomfort, noise, sleep difficulties of family members, light or temperature)

TIPS FOR GOOD SLEEP

• Avoid caffeine (coffee, tea, soft drinks, chocolate) and nicotine (cigarettes, tobacco products) close to bedtime.
• Avoid alcohol as it can lead to disrupted sleep.
• Exercise regularly, but complete your workout at least 3 hours before bedtime.
  
• Establish a regular relaxing, not alerting, bedtime routine (e.g. taking a bath or relaxing in a hot tub).
  
• Create a sleep-conducive environment that is dark, quiet and preferably cool and comfortable.
  
  If you are having sleep problems or regular daytime sleepiness, it is helpful to use a sleep diary to record your sleep patterns and the amount of sleep you get. A sleep diary helps you examine some of your health and sleep habits so that you and your doctor can pinpoint any causes of poor sleep.

DID YOU KNOW

Sleep is just as important as diet and exercise, only easier!

Left undiagnosed and untreated, sleep problems and disorders can cause serious damage to your health such as: heart attacks, high blood pressure, stroke, heart disease, depression, kidney disease, myocardial infarction, diabetes, headaches, pulmonary hypertension, and even death.