If you suffer from fatigue and tiredness during the day it could be a symptom of sleep apnea. Another symptom is loud snoring.  And if the snoring is repeatedly punctuated by brief periods of silence or choking sounds, it is a certain sign of obstructive sleep apnea.

Sleep Apnea is a potentially life-threatening condition that requires immediate medical attention. The risks of undiagnosed obstructive sleep apnea include heart attacks, strokes, impotence, irregular heartbeat, high blood pressure and heart disease. In addition, the daytime sleepiness can result in accidents, lost productivity and interpersonal relationship problems. The severity of symptoms can vary from mild to severe.

For many sleep apnea sufferers, their bed partners and/or family members are the first ones to suspect that there’s a problem, usually from their heavy snoring and struggle to breathe.
During an apneic event, the person is unable to breathe in oxygen and to exhale carbon dioxide, resulting in low levels of oxygen and increased levels of carbon dioxide in the blood. This reduction of oxygen and increase in carbon dioxide alert the brain to resume breathing and cause an arousal. With each arousal, a signal is sent from the brain to the upper airway muscles to open the airway; breathing is resumed, often with a loud snort or gasp. Frequent events prevent the patient from getting enough restorative, deep sleep.

For many cases of sleep apnea, treatment consists of avoiding sleeping on one’s back. To help aid in a comfortable sleep choose an Anti Snoring Pillow that allows you to sleep on your side, one that elevates your head and neck allowing your airway passage to remain open while sleeping. Anti Snoring Pillows can be a beneficial and inexpensive sleep apnea treatment.

To find out if you have Sleep Apnea visit the American Sleep Apnea Association and get your “Snore Score!”

The American Sleep Apnea Association

Causes of snoring:

As mentioned in a previous post Medical studies show that sleeping in a prone position, or on your back, increases obstructions  to breathing which makes you snore.

In deep sleep, the muscles in the roof of your mouth, tongue and throat relax. The tissues in your throat can relax enough that they vibrate and may partially obstruct your airway. The more narrowed your airway, the more tissue vibration increases, which makes your snoring grow louder.

Having a low, thick soft palate or enlarged tonsils or tissues in the back of your throat (adenoids) can narrow your airway. In addition, if the triangular piece of tissue hanging from your soft palate (uvula) is elongated, airflow can be obstructed and vibration increased.

Being overweight can cause extra weight can build up in your throat and contribute to narrowing of your airway.

Consuming alcohol before bedtime relaxes throat muscles and decreases your natural defenses against airway obstruction.

Chronic nasal congestion or a crooked partition between your nostrils (deviated nasal septum) may contribute to snoring.

Sleep Apnea.  Obstructive sleep apnea is the most common type of sleep apnea.  It occurs when the soft tissue in the back of the throat relaxes during sleep, causing a blockage of the airway (as well as loud snoring).  With obstructive sleep apnea, periods when breathing slows or stops occur at least five times an hour.