If you think you may be suffering from sleep apnea, you're not alone. Approximately 30 million adults in the US suffer from this condition, with a huge 80% of people going undiagnosed. The good news is that once you know what to look for, you can manage the condition and get the sleep you deserve. Here's the symptoms to be aware of, how to stop it, and, just as importantly, the bedding you need to help you rest deeply.
Disclaimer – Information from the following article has been sources from the Mayo Clinic, the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM)
Sleep apnea is a sleep disorder. It's where your breathing stops and starts while you're sleeping. In typical cases, it can stop for 10-30 seconds, and in more severe cases, it may stop for 60-90 seconds. Your breathing can stop dozens or even hundreds of times a night without you ever even realizing, giving you a bad night’s sleep, and affecting all areas of your life.
The Mayo Clinic, the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) all use the exact same classifications to diagnose and treat sleep apnea:
You can also get complex sleep apnea (or mixed sleep apnea), which is when you have a combination of the two types above.
Common symptoms of sleep apnea include:
It's worth keeping in mind that snoring on its own isn't usually a reason to be concerned about sleep apnea. In fact, according to the American Medical Association (AMA), 90 million Americans snore at one time or another, and 37 million of those adults are regular snorers. It's if you have loud, irregular snoring in addition to other symptoms of sleep apnea such as gasping, choking, and/or being exhausted during the daytime.
Sleep apnea in women may not be as obvious as it is in men. This is because women with sleep apnea are less likely to experience symptoms such as loud snoring and gasps that disrupt sleep. Instead, women often experience shorter, less intense airway collapses, which result in quieter snoring, whistling, or even just heavy breathing. (Pacheco).
Women are much more likely to experience:
The constant micro-awakenings drop oxygen levels and disturb REM sleep, which contribute to the symptoms above.
Because of this, these symptoms can be mistaken for stress or mood issues rather than sleep apnea.
Although there isn't one single cause for sleep apnea, there are risk factors to be aware of. Sleep apnea occurs when:
A regular checkup won't diagnose sleep apnea. This is how the condition is usually diagnosed:
If you think you may have sleep apnea, you don't have to live with it. Here are some of the best ways to treat obstructive sleep apnea:
Surgery is used to treat sleep apnea in specific cases, usually when anatomy is the clear, underlying cause.
Sleeping on your side is one of the easiest changes you can make. When you sleep on your back, this naturally pulls your tongue and soft tissue at the back of your throat downward, which is what narrows or blocks your airways. Sleeping on your side keeps your tongue from falling backward, which can help reduce pauses in breathing. (Khosla, et al.)
Living with a sleep apnea diagnosis and its treatment can make it difficult to sleep. However, there are things you can do to ensure you're getting the rest you need. A lot of this is down to "sleep hygiene", which is basically the environmental factors and habits that affect how you sleep.
For example, you may experience night sweats. This is because when your breathing pauses, your body spikes in stress, which causes your heart rate and body temperature to also spike. Waking up in a damp bed won't do your sleep any favors. We recommend choosing breathable cotton bedding and fitted sheets that will keep you cool throughout the night. Cotton percale sheets are a fantastic option because they're crisp and cool, providing you with a breathable option that's ideal for hot sleepers. They'll make a real difference if you're prone to overheating overnight.
Choosing the right duvet cover is important as well. Our award-winning duvet covers make changing the bed easier than ever. If you're suffering from night sweats due to sleep apnea, you’ll need to change your bedding frequently. We offer duvet covers with a three-sided opening, snap corners, and a zip to open and close. They're breathable and machine-washable, becoming more buttery soft with every wash.
None of this replaces treatment. But if you're already doing the hard part, from the CPAP therapy to the appointments and the lifestyle changes, the least your bed can do is make the rest of the night easier.
Sleep apnea rarely goes away on its own without some kind of changes. You may be able to improve mild obstructive sleep apnea by losing weight or making lifestyle changes. Undergoing a sleep study is the best way to understand your type of sleep apnea and what treatment and lifestyle changes are best for you.
No, sleep apnea can't be cured naturally, but there are plenty of ways you can manage or reduce symptoms. This can include reaching a healthy weight, using positional therapy (sleeping on your side), using myofunctional therapy (throat exercises), and reducing or stopping habits that irritate the airways, such as smoking.
These can help, but if you go back to old habits, your sleep apnea will return.
If sleep apnea is left untreated, it can lead to physical and mental issues. This isn't just a case of one bad night's sleep. It puts your body under chronic stress night after night. Think about it like this: when the airway collapses and you stop breathing, your blood oxygen levels drop, and in order to shock you awake, your body releases a surge of adrenaline. This takes a toll on your cardiovascular system and your brain.
Because of this, over time, sleep apnea is dangerous if left untreated. Untreated sleep apnea is linked to high blood pressure, heart disease and heart failure, a higher stroke risk, and the kind of severe daytime fatigue that can cause accidents.
This medical condition can start at any time of life; however, there are two windows where it's more prevalent:
The pillow trick is where you use a pillow to change your sleeping position.
At Doze Bedding, we have a range of pillowcases designed to keep you comfortable and cool all night long.
If you're overweight and this is a contributing factor to your sleep apnea, losing 20 pounds can reduce symptoms and help you reach remission. It isn't guaranteed for everyone, though. Sleep apnea is a serious medical condition and needs medical advice and treatment.
The biggest difference between mild and severe sleep apnea comes down to a single medical metric: how many times your breathing pauses per hour. For mild sleep apnea, you can expect 5 to 15 pauses per hour, and for severe sleep apnea, you can expect 30+ pauses per hour.
If you have mild to moderate obstructive sleep apnea, then positive airway pressure (CPAP) alternatives such as side-sleeping, using oral appliances, and losing weight can genuinely help. However, if you have moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea, CPAP or nerve-stimulation implants may be a more reliable option. In order to work out which treatment will be most effective for you, it's important to talk to a sleep specialist.
Sleep apnea is a common medical condition. It may sound scary at first, but with the right treatment, it's manageable.
Upgrading your sleep routine may not cure the condition, but it can definitely help you feel better about your sleep. That's why, at Doze Bedding, we bring you cool, buttery softness in every sheet and duvet cover, so you can rest easier.
Disclaimer - We're bedding and sleep experts, not doctors. None of the information above should be treated as a substitute for advice from real medical healthcare providers. All information on this page has been sourced from trusted websites such as Mayo Clinic and the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM).
