- Are you a snorer? Does your snoring wake up yourself or other people ?
- Do you ever wake up suddenly, often choking or gasping for air?
- Do you feel extremely sleepy during the day and do you have difficulty staying awake to complete a task or even when you are driving?
- Do you have dry mouth, headaches, sore throat when waking up from a sleep?

If you answer YES to all these questions, then there is a strong possibility you have the sleep disorder apnea. Sleep apnea is a deadly sleep disorder that gets worse as you grow older. Not only does sleep apnea cause you sleep deprivation, but worse, it can be dangerous.
Anyone can have sleep apnea. According to recent statistics, at least 12 million Americans suffer from sleep apnea. A majority of those suffering from sleep apnea are overweight and snore heavily.

What are the symptoms of sleep apnea?
- Snoring loudly and regularly;
- Overweight;
- Suffering from high-blood pressure;
- Have small airways sized in the nose, mouth, and throat; and
- Has at least one family member that is suffering or has suffered from apnea.

Others signs may include:
- Morning headaches
- Learning or memory problems
- Feeling irritable
- Mood swings or changes in personality
- At night, frequent urination

This sleep disorder affects more men than women. Out of 25 middle-aged males, one suffers from sleep apnea while only one out of 50 women suffers from it. Based on statistics, sleep apnea occurs more commonly in Americans of African descent, Hispanics, and those living in the Pacific Islands. If your family has a sleep apnea case, there is a possibility of others. Sleep apnea also occurs with children, with its most common symptom being snoring.

How could you diagnose if you have sleep apnea?
These are some ways to help specialists know if you have sleep apnea.
- Checking your medical history, including asking you, your family, how you sleep and and officemates on how you work.
- Examining if you have large or extra tissues in your mouth, throat, or nose.
- Recording your sleep to check your breathing pattern.

How could you be treated for sleep apnea?
The goal in treating your sleep apnea is to restore back your regular breathing during the night and solving symptoms such as loud snoring and sleepiness during the day.
If you suffer from a mild case, some changes in your daily habits or activities could lead to the treatment.
- Stay away from alcoholic beverages, sleep-inducing medications, and smoking.
- Try to shed off some pounds if your weight borders on the plus side.
- Instead of sleeping on your back, try sleeping sideways.

People who have cases that are severe or even moderate should try these treatments:
- Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP)
The most frequent treatment for moderate and severe sleep apnea cases, CPAP allows you to have the right amount of airway pressure in your mouth to keep the throat open as you sleep. If not used correctly or abruptly stopped, your disorder will come back.
Ask your doctor for any possible effects from using CPAP.

- Mouthpiece
A mouthpiece or an oral appliance may prove to be useful to those who have mild cases of sleep apnea. A customized mouthpiece will keep your throat airways open as you sleep. Just check with your orthodontist or dentists if you might suffer from side effects. Make sure that the mouthpiece fits.

- Surgery
In some cases, surgery is the ultimate solution. Your doctor will discuss the nature of the surgery and if there are possible health repercussion after you have completed the surgery.

Currently, there are no medications that could treat sleep apnea. But with the help of medical specialists, and the above pocedures solving your sleep apnea could be attainable.

Tags: sleep apnea, sleep disorder, snoring, insomnia, sleep walking, rest, relaxation, sleep, CPAP