Sleep Apnea: Knowing Your Risk Factors

Last updated 3 months ago

According to the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute, sleep apnea is a condition that affects about 10% of adults over the age of 65. This number may realistically be higher, as many cases of sleep apnea go undiagnosed. By understanding what factors contribute to the development of sleep apnea, you can better recognize when symptoms such as snoring, daytime fatigue, and trouble concentrating may be the result of this condition.

Being overweight: If you are above a healthy weight, your airway will be under added pressure when you are lying down to sleep. Your sleep specialist may recommend a change in diet along with an increase in exercise as part of your treatment, since a difference of just a few pounds can effectively free your airway. The shift in nutrition and physical activity will also help improve your sleep quality, reducing feelings of fatigue.

Having family members with the condition: A genetic predisposition can raise your chances of developing sleep apnea. The condition is also slightly more common among males, but women often see it during or just after menopause.

Sleeping with poor posture: Mild sleep apnea may be brought on by sleeping in the wrong position. If you sleep on your back and are beginning to suffer from sleep apnea, you can correct the problem by obtaining special pillows that help you sleep comfortably on your side, where your airway will be more open.

Using alcohol or sleeping aids: Drinking alcohol before going to sleep or using medication to help you sleep can relax the body to a point where breathing becomes more difficult. Reducing alcohol use and discontinuing the use of sedative medications can improve the symptoms of sleep apnea, particularly snoring.

Aging normally: The simple effects of the natural aging process may be enough to cause sleep apnea. As the body gets older, the muscles weaken and become stiff. When this occurs in the throat muscles, the breathing passages can become narrower.

Find out if sleep apnea is keeping you up at night by scheduling a consultation with Atlanta ENT, Sinus & Allergy Associates, P.C. Contact us on our website or call (678) 733-9732 to learn how we can help you.

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