A Sleep Apnea Survivor's Guide

When blockages occur, the affected person is either jolted from sleep or in the most severe cases can stop breathing altogether. You may have sleep apnea if you notice that you don’t have much energy and are sleepy despite getting a full night sleep, or you wake up with headaches. People that suffer from sleep apnea are almost always snorers, but they also tend to toss and turn at night, and their partners may notice that they gasp or choke while asleep.

Having sleep apnea can lead to other health issue such as diabetes, depression, high blood pressure, irregular or abnormal heart rhythms, high blood pressure in the lungs or stroke. Sleep apnea can be a potential fatal disorder and if you suspect that you may be afflicted you should consult your physician as soon as you can and try to get into a sleep study to gauge how often you stop breathing and how little air your lungs receive during the course of the night. In the meantime there are some things that you can do on your own to perhaps lessen the symptoms and be more productive during your daytime hours.