How Sleep Apnea Affects Your Sleep And Your Relationship
Article Source: HealthSnare.com
Next to snoring, perhaps the biggest problem a married couple faces during sleeping time is if one of them has a condition called sleep apnea. This is when a person stops breathing for seconds or even minutes during sleep then wakes up abruptly to catch his breath. Not only does the sufferer feel restless at night, his partner also gets disturbed in her sleep.
While you are not aware of the condition because you are asleep when it occurs, your partner is. You wake up with a start just long enough for your body to recover its normal breathing. But you have also awakened your partner, and her sleep isn't approaching as soon as yours.
And that makes stress and tension in the morning... for the two of you.
Some people think that sleep apnea is just irritating but not dangerous. They are wrong. It is a serious life threatening issue, raising the risk of stroke, heart attacks, and heart disease more than average. So you are not just putting your and your wife's sleep in danger, you are also putting your life at risk.
The safest advice you can get is to consult a doctor, one that practices Ear-Nose-Throat. Because just like snoring, sleep apnea is affected by the tongue and throat. While snoring is a partial obstruction of the airway by your tongue, sleep apnea is the full blockage. It temporarily ceases the air from flowing, stopping you from breathing normally.
Just like snoring, your weight matters. Most people who suffer from sleep apnea are heavy, although there are also those with normal Body Mass Index that has sleep apnea. So, don't just cut down the usual bad-for-you suspects (smoking, drinking, stress, etc.), also drop off some pounds.
Some sufferers use CPAP machines to help them rid of the annoying condition. CPAP means "continuous positive airway pressure," a mask sleep apnea sufferers put on during sleeping. It prevents the airway from closing by making a positive pressure of air.
If you suffer from sleep apnea, do not wait for it to subside on its own. Confer With a doctor the second you suppose you have it. Because if you suffer from it, you don't only have sleep disturbance to worry about, you are also putting your own wellness and your marriage in jeopardy.
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Article Submitted By:
Grant Baldwin
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Date: Mon, 10 Jan 2011 Time: 2:22 AM
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