One of the most serious conditions that a person can deal with is sleep apnea. It’s not just a scary condition to deal with, it’s something that’ll bring you increased health risks over time. When sleep apnea is not appropriately treated, you could be left with heart disease or stroke. When you realize that you’re not rested enough after you sleep, you need to consider that you may be suffering with a sleep disorder and should contact an ENT doctor for some help.

The reason that sleep apnea disrupts your sleep so often is because it’s difficult for your brain to decide between sleeping and breathing. It’s not really a decision you want your brain to have to make, but the good news is that there is a lot that you can do to treat it with the right ENT doctor. It’s important to understand the condition as well as you can, and below you’ll find five things to know about sleep apnea.

Snoring is not the only obvious symptom

Many people mistakenly believe that snoring is the only symptom of sleep apnea, but it’s not entirely correct. Sleep apnea is recognized by extreme exhaustion, including episodes of falling asleep during regular daily activity. When your brain is choosing between sleep and oxygen, it is not getting enough rest – at all. Other signs of sleep apnea include:

  • Mood swings
  • Dry mouth
  • Headaches
  • Difficulty concentrating

Your weight increases your risk of sleep apnea

For some people, weight is not an issue when it comes to sleep apnea. Correlation is not the same as causation, so it’s important that you know that even those of a healthy weight can be at risk of sleep apnea. However, those who are overweight have an increased risk of pressure on the throat and mouth, which can lead to sleep apnea.

It’s not just that you can stop breathing periodically in your sleep; you could die as a result of sleep apnea and it’s not something to joke about. It has the potential to be fatal if you aren’t looking into help from an ENT doctor as soon as you notice an issue.

Minor lifestyle changes can make a big difference to your sleep, so if you are dealing with sleep apnea, you should consider making changes such ask:

Quitting smoking

  • Reducing or eliminating alcohol
  • Bin any sleeping pills
  • Create a perfect sleeping environment

It can be treated

You do not have to deal with sleep apnea alone. With the help of an ENT doctor, you can keep the risks of it worsening to a minimum. With a consultation with the right ENT clinic, you could treat the condition with the help of lifestyle changes and – in some cases – a CPAP machine to help you to keep the oxygen tubes open through the night. It can breathe air into your lungs for you while you sleep.

With the right help, you can deal with your sleep apnea easily. Speak to your ENT doctor today for more information.