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    When Is a Snore More Than a Snore

    When Is a Snore More Than a Snore

    Sleep Apnea

    Every day millions of Americans wake up in the morning feeling unrested and unprepared for the day ahead of them. It is as if they didn’t sleep at all the night before. For many, the reason is just that: undiagnosed obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) kept them awake the entire night, despite thinking they had a full night’s sleep.

    “Obstructive sleep apnea,” says David Moon, a clinical respiratory therapist with Intermountain Homecare & Hospice, “is a condition in which the soft tissue in the throat closes over the airway and halts breathing during sleep for ten or more seconds at a time – sometimes up to a full minute – before the body wakes itself up, gasping for air. In severe cases, these apneic events can happen hundreds or thousands of times a night. People with undiagnosed OSA think they’re sleeping, but in reality they are never actually resting.”

    The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke estimates that 18 million Americans, or one in 15, have OSA. The majority of them never having been diagnosed with the condition.

    Common warning signs of obstructive sleep apnea can include:

    • Waking up with a sore or dry throat
    • Loud snoring
    • Excessive daytime sleepiness
    • Drowsiness while driving
    • Morning headaches
    • Attention or memory problems

    If left untreated OSA can lead to high blood pressure, irregular heartbeat, and increased risk for heart attack or stroke. Luckily, once the condition is diagnosed, treatment can be quite simple. Most commonly OSA is treated with a positive airway pressure (PAP) device that uses blown air to keep your airway open while you sleep.

    If you think you may have or are at risk for obstructive sleep apnea, have a conversation with your doctor about whether you should participate in a sleep study.