If your loud snoring is disturbing either you or your partner, then it may be time to see a doctor about apnea. Sleep apnea syndrome is a serious sleep disorder that occurs when breathing frequently stops for brief periods throughout the night. Not only does this condition reduce the quality of your sleep, but it can also lead to other serious health conditions. In this article, we’ll wake you up to the symptoms of sleep apnea and the treatments available.

Obstructive sleep apnea is the most common type of apnea and is due to an obstruction in the throat during sleep. The narrowing of the upper airway can be a result of several factors including inherent physical characteristics, excess weight, and alcohol consumption before going to bed. Central sleep apnea is caused by a delay in the signal from the brain to breath. With both obstructive and central apnea you must wake up briefly to breathe, sometimes hundreds of times during the night. Usually there is no memory of these brief awakenings.

Because sufferers are asleep when they experience their symptoms, it’s usually the individual’s partner who spots the problem. Patients with sleep apnea syndrome often snore very loudly, wake up gasping, experience night sweats and make frequent trips to the bathroom during the night. Insomnia is also a common occurrence. Consequently, patients experience illnesses that accompany sleep deprivation like high blood pressure, depression, difficulty concentrating and reduced libido. If sleep apnea is not diagnosed and treated properly, then it can be life threatening.

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