How Do I Know if I Suffer From Sleep Apnea
The most accurate way to diagnose sleep apnea is to get a sleep study. A sleep study is an accurate, non-invasive, overnight exam that gives us results on how to diagnose your sleep problems.
Dr. Yemoto uses the ARES device, which is connected to your forehead and monitors snoring, your pulse rate, and oxygen saturation while you sleep. By doing so, we can get a more accurate and concrete idea of what the problem is.
There are glaring warning signs of sleep issues, which include:
- Loud and/or persistent snoring
- Gasping or choking for air during sleep
- Frequent interruptions to your sleep
- Insomnia
- Lack of energy
- Irritability
- Lack of motivation
- Frequent urination at night
If you or your bed partner recognize any of the symptoms above, we recommend you consult with Dr. Yemoto for an in-office sleep study. Our sleep study is pivotal because not all sleep apnea — and sleep disorders — are the same, and whichever one you suffer from matters when it comes to choosing the right solution for treatment.
The Different Types of Sleep Apnea
What’s so significant with Dr. Yemoto’s sleep apnea diagnosis and treatment is how he provides cosmetic surgery for those whose mouths need more collagen to support the patient who can’t breathe properly due to poor soft palate tissue in the back of the throat.
As with all sleep sufferers, Dr. Yemoto identifies the three sleep apnea types as:
Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) – the most common form of sleep apnea occurs when the muscles at the back of the throat relax. These muscles support surrounding tissues so when they relax, the airway closes as you breathe in causing a break in the flow of oxygen to the lungs. This then triggers the brain to wake up as a reminder to help you resume breathing. Because it can be such a brief stimulus, you might not even remember the disruption.
Central Sleep Apnea (CSA)– In these instances, all three major functioning organs — your brain, your lungs, and your muscles — simply aren’t communicating well. It’s crucial to know which type of sleep apnea applies to you because CSA is treated very differently than OSA.
Complex Sleep Apnea (CompSA) is a form of central sleep apnea specifically known to show excessive exposure to CPAP therapy when OSA events have disappeared. Patients with complex sleep apnea show persistent central sleep apnea symptoms after the obstructive component has been eliminated (CPAP).
With our signature sleep study, Dr. Yemoto will be able to help you identify all the particulars of your snoring habits and restore a decent night’s sleep.
Risk Factors for Sleep Apnea
Sleep apnea can be exacerbated by two common factors, age and gender. Older individuals are more susceptible, as is the male population.
Risk factors of sleep apnea are as follows:
- Obesity
- Circumference of the neck – a thicker neck has a narrower airway
- Family history (genetics)
- Smoking
- Alcohol consumption
- Chronic nasal congestion
How Sleep Apnea Affects Your Overall Health
Sleep apnea not only impacts the quantity of your sleep, it affects the quality as well. It’s no wonder that those affected by this debilitating sleep disorder wake up with headaches and go through their day with major fatigue. When lacking in energy and motivation, sleep apnea can have an impact on your career and your relationships.
Depression is also associated with sleep apnea. Because sleep apnea zaps you of energy and passion, this can affect your confidence. If there are other factors present such as obesity, old age, and gender, these can be ruled out for the sleep apnea and depression connection. The aforementioned link is solely with sleep apnea sufferers.
Finding the right treatment for your sleep apnea can dramatically change your life because it can improve both your physical and emotional health. The difference is noticeable right away.