Find Out the Warning Signs of Sleep Apnea

Asleep disorders such as sleep apnea can severely impact one’s life, leading to high levels of stress and anxiety. People suffering from sleep apnea often miss several days of work due to a lack of productivity. It can also cause relationship problems because partners of people with sleep disorders are often tired and irritable. If you or your partner has sleep apnea, it is best to seek treatment immediately.

Effects Of Sleep Apnea

• Effects of sleep apnea on weight loss: The relationship between weight loss and sleep apnea is not well understood. Sleep Apnea and Oral Health Weight gain are often found in patients with obstructive sleep apnea, especially in the mornings after their sleep hours have ended. This is often attributed to the fact that patients have little control over their heads during their sleep, so they cannot exercise control over their airflow. They then begin to slowly sip oxygen, which causes weight gain in the morning.

• Effects of sleep apnea on brain health: Some of the diseases that have been associated with this condition include: stroke, cataracts, age-related dementia, and diabetes. Macey said there was a connection between weight loss and the brain damage associated with sleep apnea. When a person has this condition, their brain’s oxygen supply is interrupted by the stoppage of their airway, causing their brain to swell in size. During this time there is less blood flow to the brain, which can lead to cognitive impairment, according to Macey. This impairment can then contribute to other health problems such as depression, hypertension, diabetes, heart disease, and stroke.

• Effects of sleep apnea on mental performance: Several cognitive performance tests were performed on the participants. These tests, conducted before and after the participant had their sleep apnea episode, showed that the short-term memory, attention span, visual-motor ability, and processing speed were all impaired. The long-term memory and executive functioning skills were unaffected. Macey said the test showed, “Short term memory is an essential element for achievement, particularly in students, so this does bring up issues with regards to students who may be suffering from sleep apnea.” Executive function, which refers to the process of decision making, organization, planning, and persistence, is essential for the workplace, he added.

For having quality sleep, you can also try aromatherapy. You can rub essential oils on your feet to attain comfortable sleep. Essential oils are purely herbal and have no side effects.

Symptoms Of Sleep Apnea

• One common warning sign of sleep apnea is the presence of TMJ. TMJ refers to the Temporomandibular Joint, which is located in the joint of the jaw near the ear. When this part of the mouth is inadequately lubricated, it causes a reduction of mobility that leads to difficulties in biting and swallowing. Common symptoms include pain and tension and the inability to open the mouth fully or close it partially, especially when lying down. The most common symptoms of sleep apnea do not always point to TMJ disorders. Sometimes, people with other health issues or diseases will experience the same warning signs as people with TMJ disorders. Therefore, you must go to your doctor for a complete examination. In some cases, a specialist medical examination may be required before a diagnosis is made, which could mean seeing a sleep specialist.

• One more symptom of sleep apnea is morning headache. This is usually felt in the morning after sleeping for several hours. Unlike other forms of headaches, a person who has had their tonsils or tonsil balls removed may develop severe headaches. These headaches occur due to increased pressure in the brain and head, which usually happen during breathing while sleeping. In some cases, if these headaches occur in conjunction with having excessive daytime sleepiness, they may be a sign of TMJ disorder, but this seems to be uncommon.

• Some other signs of sleep apnea are feeling tired and weak in the mornings. When you are tired, it is much easier to fall asleep at night. However, fatigue itself can also be a sign of TMJ disorder. If you wake up feeling tired but don’t recall sleeping well, you may have developed TMJ.

• You may face memory and concentration loss during the day. If you keep hearing noises in your ears while you are sleeping, such as snoring, a possible sign of sleep apnea is sleep deprivation. A lack of sleep can affect brain function, which in turn can affect physical and mental health. Your memory may begin to slip, and you will not remember things that happened during the day. These symptoms may also indicate depression, so you should schedule an appointment with your doctor as soon as possible.

• Another sign of sleep apnea is waking up feeling sleepy, depressed, or fatigued after only a short nap or a short period of being exhausted. This means that you have suffered a temporary loss of energy, and sleep apnea symptoms could be due to that. Again, it is essential to visit your doctor as soon as possible since sleep deprivation can cause adverse effects throughout your entire body. You can lose valuable energy, make bad decisions due to fatigue, and even develop more severe conditions such as diabetes. You can arrange your bed with proper bedding like mattresses, pillows, comforters, and duvets; get in the habit of buying and using duvetsthat comfort you.

Conclusion

The warning signs of sleep apnea are pretty similar to those of other sleep disorders, so if you are experiencing any of them, don’t ignore them. It’s never too late to see a doctor. If you’re concerned about having sleep apnea, there are several things that you can do to treat it naturally at home, such as increasing the size of your nasal passages by using nasal strips. You can also use special appliances to open up your airway during sleep, such as a pressurized bag or mask. Either method is very effective and very safe, especially if you choose a doctor-recommended method.

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Author Bio

Larry Alton is a blogger and passionate writer at Managerteams.com. She loves cooking and is fond of traveling.