Have you been told you snore loudly?  Do you ever have a choking or gasping sensation during sleep?   Do you wake up feeling tired even after a full night’s sleep?  If so, you may have Sleep Apnea. 

Apnea is a Greek for “without breath”, sleep apnea is a potentially serious sleep disorder, breathing repeatedly stops and starts during sleep.

There are two main types of Sleep Apnea:

• Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) the more common type that occurs when the throat muscles relax
• Central Sleep Apnea (CSA), which occurs when your brain does not send the right signals to the muscles that control breathing. 

Some people have Complex Sleep Apnea, which is a combination of Obstructive and Central Sleep Apnea.

Sleep apnea affects people of all ages, but is twice as common in men than in women.  Womens risk equals that of men after menopause. 

Excess body weight and large neck size also increase the risk. Sleep apnea can also occur in children.  Studies have linked sleep apnea to high blood pressure, increased risk of heart attach, stroke and irregular heart beat.

Treatment
Your doctor may recommend lifestyle changes for milder forms of Sleep Apnea.  Such measures such as losing weight or quitting smoking can improve your symptoms.  If these don’t improve your signs and symptoms or if your apnea is moderate to severe, a few treatment options are available.  Certain devices can open up a blocked airway; another choice would be an oral appliance.  In other cases, surgery may be necessary.