If you answered "yes" to two or more of these questions, you should consider scheduling an appointment with one of our physicians who specializes in diagnosing an treating sleep disorders.
Our sleep specialist will work closely with your primary care physician providing them with valuable information and recommendations to optimize your care and treatment.
Obstructive sleep apnea is a disorder in which breathing is briefly and repeatedly interrupted during sleep. The "apnea" in sleep apnea refers to a breathing pause that lasts at least ten seconds. Obstructive sleep apnea occurs when the muscles in the back of the throat fail to keep the airway open, despite efforts to breath. Another form of sleep apnea is central sleep apnea, in which the brain fails to properly control breathing during sleep. Obstructive sleep apnea is far more common than central sleep apnea.
Obstructive sleep apnea, or simply sleep apnea, can cause fragmented sleep and low blood oxygen levels. For people with sleep apnea, the combination of disturbed sleep and oxygen starvation may lead to hypertension, heart disease and mood and memory problems. Sleep apnea also increases the risk of automobile crashes.
Ask your bed partner if he or she notices that you snore heavily, choke, gasp, or stop breathing during sleep and STOP! First, take a moment to ask yourself the 4 questions that will determine if you may have sleep apnea. The next step is, see your doctor, or, call us to schedule your sleep assessment.