29 Mar Sleep Apnea Warning Signs – When You May Need Sleep Apnea Machines Toronto
Sleep apnea is a sleep disorder that is potentially serious. If you have this condition you’ll find that your breathing repeatedly starts and stops when you are sleeping. While there are different kinds of sleep apnea, obstructive sleep apnea is the most common. With this sort of apnea you’ll find that your throat muscles relax intermittently during sleep, which blocks your airway.
There are several sleep apnea warning signs to look for and these may indicate they you’ll need to get sleep apnea machines Toronto in order to handle the problem. While this condition is usually not curable, in most cases it is 100% treatable with a CPAP device.
Sleep Apnea Warning Signs
Here are some of the most common symptoms and signs of obstructive sleep apnea to watch out for:
- Loud snoring
- Excessive sleepiness during the daytime
- Morning headache
- Concentration difficulties during the day
- High blood pressure
- Waking with a sore throat or a dry mouth
- Waking abruptly with choking or gasping
- Paused breathing episodes during sleep
- Mood changes such as irritability or depression
- Decreased libido
- Night sweats
Any of these symptoms can be attributed to sleep apnea, but they may also be caused by other things. The best thing you can do is to discuss the symptoms you are experiencing with your doctor and ask him specifically whether he thinks you could possibly have this condition. Your physician may ask you to go for a sleep test to find out whether sleep apnea machines in Toronto are indicated for you.
Loud Snoring
Many people don’t associate snoring with a potentially serious condition. At the same time, snoring does not always mean that you have obstructive sleep apnea. It is definitely something to check out, however, especially if your snoring is disturbing your partner’s sleep or your own. As well, if you snore loudly and this is followed by a silent period, mention this to your physician. Another thing to note is that snoring that is due to obstructive sleep apnea is quite often loudest when you are sleeping on your back. In many cases it won’t be as loud when you roll over onto your side.
Excessive Sleepiness
If you find yourself fatigued during the daytime hours and find you are sleepy, it may be a warning sign of sleep apnea. If you have to drive during the day this can be especially dangerous since there is always the possibility that you will fall asleep at the wheel. It’s a good idea to avoid driving until you check with your physician to find out why you’re feeling so tired during the day. Just a simple checkup to ask this question could end up saving your life or the life of another driver or passenger in another vehicle that is travelling down the road at the same time you are.
What Causes Sleep Apnea?
Obstructive sleep apnea is a result of relaxing throat muscles that hinder normal breathing. The muscles found at the back of the throat support a number of different structures including the tongue, the tonsils, the uvula and the soft palate. If these muscles become too relaxed, the airway starts to close up and become narrower when you are breathing. Your breathing may be paused for 10 seconds or even longer as a result. When this occurs, carbon dioxide can build up in the blood due to a lower amount of oxygen coming in through the airways.
When this paused breathing occurs your brain senses it, and you will automatically awaken from sleep so that your airway can be reopened. Quite often a person that is suffering from sleep apnea isn’t even aware that he is waking up several times a night to correct the problem.
This disrupted sleeping pattern can take place multiple times during the night and can stop a person from reaching a deep sleep. This is why so many people with obstructive sleep apnea feel fatigued and sleepy during the day. A sleep test will show whether this is happening and sleep apnea machines in Toronto have been designed to help keep the airways open to control the condition.
Risk Factors of Obstructive Sleep Apnea
Anyone can suffer from this type of sleep apnea, but there are several factors that can increase your risk of developing the condition. These include the following:
- Excessive weight
- Smoking
- Chronic case of nasal congestion
- High blood pressure
- Asthma
- Narrowed airway
When fat deposits accumulate in the upper airway, breathing can become obstructed. This does not happen to all people that are overweight, but it is a risk factor. Usually a physician will prescribe CPAP machines in Toronto for patients that are experiencing the associated signs of sleep apnea due to any weight issues.
CPAP Therapy Toronto
CPAP therapy in Toronto consists of using sleep apnea devices that send pressurized air through the airways to keep the airway open during sleep. The air passes through a mask that covers the nose and the mouth. The vast majority of people that use this device get used to sleeping with the mask and find that they wake up feeling more refreshed. A good night sleep is vital to our health and CPAP therapy can help control breathing at night so that a person can fall into a deep, relaxed state while sleeping.
CPAP Machines Toronto
If your physician has prescribed a sleep apnea machine for you, please visit our website now at cpapmachinestore.ca. We are the CPAP machines Toronto store you can trust when you need the best machine to suit your needs. We’ll be happy to answer any questions you may have regarding the different features available, how to keep the machine clean and the best kinds of masks to use according to your facial structure. Simply fill in the contact form on our site, and we will get back to you as quickly as possible. We are a leading CPAP machine Canadian store that is committed to customer satisfaction.