Not Just Snoring: Sleep Apnea Myths and Facts
Posted: August 20, 2019
Sleep apnea is more than just an uncomfortable condition that causes you to snore at night. If you have an appointment at a men’s health clinic, you should mention any excessive snoring because sleep apnea can lead to other health problems, including high blood pressure and heart disease. However, men can have sleep apnea even if they do not snore.
What Snoring Means
Many men first seek help for sleep apnea because their partners are disturbed by their snoring. The snoring can indicate that something more serious is actually happening. Sleep apnea blocks a person’s ability to breathe. With obstructive sleep apnea, this means that the tongue or parts of the throat are blocking the flow of air. Central sleep apnea occurs when the brain fails to get the signal to the body to breathe.
On the other hand, not everyone who snores has sleep apnea. Whether or not a person has sleep apnea can be determined with a home sleep test administered by a men’s health clinic.
The Role of Weight and Age
Another common myth about sleep apnea is that it only affects older men who are overweight. While both age and being overweight increase the likelihood of developing sleep apnea, men who are young, fit and otherwise healthy can also develop it.
Using Alcohol or Sleeping Pills
People with sleep apnea may suffer from fatigue and insomnia. They may try sleeping pills or a drink or two at night to help them fall asleep. However, both of these can actually worsen sleep apnea since they relax the throat muscles, which can increase the likelihood of a blocked airway.
CPAP Masks
Yet another myth is that sleep apnea treatment always means wearing a CPAP device. While this is a very effective treatment for some people, in other cases, lifestyle changes or other approaches can treat the condition. As for CPAP masks themselves, some people may have heard that they are uncomfortable to wear or noisy. While there is a period of adjustment to get the airflow right for a CPAP mask, most people generally find that they become comfortable with them and that sleeping without them is far more uncomfortable because sleep apnea symptoms return. Some older models of CPAP masks were noisy, but that is no longer the case with newer ones.
Low T Center can help determine whether sleep apnea is causing fatigue and other symptoms. Make an appointment online today at your local men’s health clinic.
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Disclaimer: This article is made available for general, entertainment and educational purposes only. The opinions expressed herein do not necessarily reflect those of Low T Center. You should always seek the advice of a licensed healthcare professional.