Nowadays, people have several cases of sleep disorders. Some did not even know what causes breathing to cease or stop while sleeping. It is abnormal and a severe issue for every individual that snores loudly. Who knows? People that snore loudly at night might be suffering or battling sleep apnea. 

This article will take you through an educative and informative journey about sleep apnea. Not only will you know about the sleep apnea machine. You’ll also learn some essential facts about it. This write-up will also contain the symptoms, causes, and how to prevent sleep apnea. 

Therefore, we urge you to stay focused and carefully read through. It’s going to be lovely to kick start this write-up with the meaning of sleep apnea. 

What is sleep apnea?

Severally, people might be battling with being comfortless in their sleep. And it occurs mainly in aged people. Sleep apnea is a critical sleep disorder in which one’s breathing recurrently stops and starts. It appears in some people in the form of snoring loudly at night. We have heard about people who snore loudly at night, and most do not know they have sleep apnea. 

Medically, when throat muscles relax, sleep apnea occurs. This is often called obstructive sleep apnea. Let’s briefly talk about the types of sleep apnea.

Types of sleep apnea

  1. Obstructive sleep apnea: We have already mentioned the meaning of this type. It occurs when the muscle in the back of one’s throat muscles relax. One will start having a sleep disorder when the throat muscles relax. 
  2. Central sleep apnea: This type of sleep apnea occurs when the brain fails in doing its responsibility of sending signals to the muscles that control breathing. Central sleep apnea is common among both old and young ones. The brain plays a significant role in our sleep. It sends signals to the muscles in charge or controls the brain. So, once the brain cannot send such a signal, then sleep apnea occurs. 
  3. Complex sleep apnea syndrome is known as treatment-emergent central sleep apnea. Complex sleep apnea syndrome happens when one has obstructive and central sleep apnea. 
Essential things you need to know about sleep apnea

Having known the meaning of sleep apnea. We know you should be asking yourself some questions right now. More importantly, if you’ve been following, you’ll be curious about sleep apnea symptoms. Of course, it is good to know the signs. Knowing the symptoms will help you see if you have sleep apnea and also know the necessary steps to take. Let us quickly dive into the symptoms of sleep apnea. Please note that you need to see a doctor if you’re seeing the following. 

  1. Loud snoring: These days, people used to look down on snoring. In fact, some people have taken snoring loudly to be natural and uncontrollable. In some parts of the world, snoring loudly is not a problem. For instance, some African countries didn’t open a file of consideration towards snoring. At some point, people say they snore because they’ve been stressed. Of course, there might be an iota of truth in that. But the fact remains that once one notices that one is snoring loudly, one should not overlook it. Therefore, this part is crucial for those that snore loudly during their sleep. They might have sleep apnea. 
  2. Gasping for air during sleep: Several people are experiencing this and assume they need to use some drugs. The best thing to do is consult the doctor if you’re experiencing gasping for air during sleep. Gasping for air during sleep is one of the symptoms of sleep apnea. However, the fact remains that if you notice this, please consult your doctor. Remember, this write-up is all about the essential things you need to know about sleep apnea. 
  3. Awakening with a dry mouth: This symptom is also common. Dear reader, if your mouth is always dry whenever you’re awake from sleep, you might have sleep apnea. And this is the right time to rise and do the needful. Waking up with a dry mouth is one of the undeniable symptoms of sleep apnea common among adults. 
Essential things you need to know about sleep apnea
  1. Morning headache: If you used to feel a slight headache in the morning, you might have sleep apnea. We are not saying you have sleep apnea whenever you feel a headache. Please don’t misquote us. We are only saying that if you used to feel a headache in the morning and it persists frequently, you might have sleep apnea. So, before judging or evaluating that you’re battling sleep apnea, if you have a morning headache, watch it for days. If you’ve been feeling headaches in the morning for at least three days, there should be a cause for alarm. 
  2. Difficulty paying attention while awake: Some people used to find it so hard to pay attention while awake. If you wake them from their sleep, they need some time before coming and gaining consciousness. Have you seen some people like that? They need to see a doctor. Therefore, no one should push you to do the needful if you’ve seen these symptoms. 

When should I see a doctor?

It is most likely that this question pops up while reading this article. Therefore, it is expedient for us to talk about it. One may assume that one does not need to see a doctor because one doesn’t snore. May I tell you that not everyone battling sleep apnea snores? Therefore, you need to see a doctor if you notice the above-explained symptoms. Don’t wait till you start snoring. You might have sleep apnea if you always have a slight headache in the morning. Also, you can ask your doctor about any sleep problem that leaves you tired and irritable.  

On a final note

We believe you’ve seen something educative here. You can help others by sharing the link to this page with them. This information should be for everyone. In this write-up, we explained in detail the meaning, types, causes, and symptoms of sleep apnea. Finally, question(s) might pop up while reading this article. Please kindly drop your question in the comment box.