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Do you snore when you sleep? Do you wake up feeling tired and irritable? Do you notice some health issues coming to the forefront that didn’t seem to bother you before? How about being unable to sleep as well as you used to? You might have sleep apnea.
Obstructive sleep apnea, also known as OSA, is the most common form of sleep apnea. According to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, sleep apnea occurs when you stop breathing for an extended period of time (apnea) during your sleep. It occurs when something obstructs your upper airway, making it difficult to pull in a breath. The result is snoring, gasping for air, and as a result, very restless sleep.1
Sleep apnea can be especially troublesome for seniors. Studies have shown that sleep apnea is linked to smaller brain volume as well as damage to the communication pathways in the brain, both of which could be connected to dementia and cognitive decline.
The American Academy of Sleep Medicine points out that untreated OSA can lead to a higher risk of many chronic illnesses, including diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, and even depression.2 You’re also at a risk of dying that is three times higher than someone who doesn’t have sleep apnea.
Obviously, diagnosing and treating sleep apnea is paramount for senior whole health.
Symptoms of Sleep Apnea
More than 30 million people in the United States have sleep apnea, but that number doesn’t tell the whole story, as many are undiagnosed. This is especially true if someone lives alone, as many have no idea they have sleep apnea until someone tells them they snore, gasp for air, or otherwise show signs of distress as they sleep. The longer sleep apnea continues without treatment, the more likely related health problems are to show up.
The top symptom of sleep apnea is heavy snoring. This might be punctuated by moments of not breathing at all, then gulping in a large breath. Often a person with sleep apnea doesn’t fully wake up when this is happening. This prevents someone from falling into a deep sleep, which then leads to fatigue the next day.
According to the Mayo Clinic and other sources, other symptoms include:3
· Gasping for air or waking up very abruptly
· Difficulty staying asleep
· A dry mouth upon waking
· A headache, often in the morning
· A dull ache in your chest upon waking
· Excessive sleepiness in the daytime
· Irritability and anger
· Trouble with concentration and attention during the day
· Concerns from someone who watched you sleep and saw you stop breathing for a time
It’s important to remember that women might not have the loud snoring that is a hallmark of sleep apnea. Because of that, women are misdiagnosed much more often than men are.
If you have any symptoms of sleep apnea, an emergency button alarm is a very good idea. Sleep apnea can cause serious fatigue over time, and being very tired is a strong risk factor for falls. The lightweight medical alert can help ensure you stay safe while you work with your doctor to figure out how to treat your sleep apnea.
A Closer Look at Unusual Symptoms of Sleep Apnea
The symptoms of sleep apnea might have you wondering if you have it. The only way to know for sure is to go to the doctor and get a sleep study. A sleep study is exactly what it sounds like – small, non-invasive machines will be used to monitor you for a night of sleep and give you the results about what your body was doing during that time. This can help determine if you have sleep apnea.
In the meantime, there are some other symptoms that might be surprising:
1. Sweating at Night
There can be many reasons for night sweats. Illness, hormonal changes, certain medical conditions and the drugs to treat them, or even a room that is simply too hot are all reasons why you might experience sweating at night. But it could also be the result of sleep apnea. Studies have shown that about 30% of those with OSA also have night sweats.
Night sweats among those with sleep apnea often occur due to the body’s fight-or-flight response. When you aren’t getting enough oxygen as you sleep, your body fights for more, going into a sort of panic. That can trigger night sweats. It can also lead to long-term problems for your body, such as elevated blood pressure.
2. Waking Up Too Much
Getting up at night to empty your bladder might be entirely normal for you. Some people just need to go more often than others. Seniors might also notice that certain conditions or medications make them need to urinate at night – this might be especially true for those with diabetes, high blood pressure, or prostate issues.
But getting up to urinate at least two times a night might be a sign of sleep apnea. Studies have shown that about 50% of those who get up often to urinate at night have OSA. It might not actually be the need to urinate that wakes you up – rather, the sleep apnea isn’t allowing you to get into a deep sleep, so you are always on the verge of waking up anyway.
Tell your doctor if you are getting up more than once to urinate at night. Getting up often at night is another good reason for a medical alert pendant at your fingertips – many falls happen at night, when you’re sleepy and there isn’t good lighting.
3. Grinding Your Teeth
Have you recently begun clenching your jaw or grinding your teeth as you sleep? Among those with sleep apnea, when the airway becomes obstructed, the muscles in the mouth and jaw fight to open up that airway. It’s possible that teeth grinding is one of the results of that struggle.
A mouth guard is a good way to protect your teeth from grinding as you sleep. You might know that you have been grinding your teeth if you start waking up to a sore mouth, a dry mouth, or pain in the TMJ joint – that’s the big joint at the back of your jaw.
You might also start waking up with headaches. These might feel like tension on both sides of the head.
Mention the teeth grinding to your doctor. They might want to test you for OSA.
4. Depression and Brain Fog
When you sleep, your brain and body have time to recover from the events of the day. The better your sleep, the easier it is to think and react quickly. Good sleep allows you to fully notice and remember what happens around you and to solve day-to-day problems.
Not getting enough sleep starts a cycle that feeds into fatigue, brain fog, and the resulting emotions that come along with being unable to perform effectively in your day-to-day life. That can often lead to a lack of motivation, withdrawing from friends and family, and eventually, depression.
If you’re dealing with any of these symptoms and there’s no clear cause, talk to your doctor about OSA testing.
5. Gaining Weight
Sleep apnea and obesity are like a chicken-and-egg conundrum. Those who are obese are more likely to develop sleep apnea, but those who have sleep apnea are more likely to gain weight.
Those who carry around extra weight are more likely to have trouble with OSA than those who are of a lower body mass index, or BMI. That’s especially true for those who have some extra skin or tissue around the neck.
Those who have a BMI of 35 or above are at the greatest risk of sleep apnea. If you fall into that category or notice that you have gained weight and there’s no clear reason why, talk to your doctor.
Treatments for Sleep Apnea
The gold standard treatment for sleep apnea is the continuous positive airway pressure machine, also known as a CPAP. Years ago these were large, clunky devices that made a lot of noise. These days, CPAP machines are much smaller, quite portable, and very quiet.
The machine works by creating a positive airflow through a mask that you wear while you sleep. That gentle air pressure keeps the airway open, allowing you to sleep peacefully. The result is often an increase in energy and stamina, which you might notice as quickly as the first treatment. Some people use a CPAP machine for the rest of their lives.
If you smoke, now is the time to stop! Those who smoke are three times more likely to develop sleep apnea.
If you are overweight, your doctor will recommend that you lose weight to help reduce your risk of sleep apnea. If you already have sleep apnea, losing weight could resolve the condition. If you have any problems that need to be corrected, such as nasal polyps or enlarged tonsils, surgery might help reduce or eliminate the sleep apnea.
Careful positioning is another option. Many with sleep apnea have more difficulty breathing when they lie on their backs. Sleeping on your side can help alleviate this. You might also find it easier to breathe when you have a few pillows under your head to elevate your upper body a bit.
The Importance of Help at Your Fingertips
When you are dealing with fatigue, brain fog, difficulty concentrating, and the constant disruptions in sleep, you are at a much greater risk of household accidents, mishaps with medication dosages, falls at home and outside, and more. Being able to reach out for help at a moment’s notice with an alert system for elderly adults can be a literal lifesaver.
And it might be helpful to know that even in the midst of brain fog and potential difficulty in communicating, the trained professionals at the monitoring center are ready for any scenario. They will ask you questions, pay attention to your answers, and send the help you need. They will also stay on the line with you while you wait for that help to arrive. Get treatment for sleep apnea for better senior health, and let Alert1 provide protection for your day-to-day life to give you the peace of mind you need to fully live it!
