Sleep apnoea is a condition that is invisible to you, as it happens while you’re asleep. Symptoms include breathing stopping and starting, loud snoring and waking up a lot during the night.
During the day, you may feel very tired and have trouble concentrating. Other side effects include mood swings and having a headache when you wake up.
It’s often detected by your partner while you sleep. The most significant symptom is loud snoring alongside gasping, snorting, or choking noises, which are a sign your body is trying to re-establish breathing during sleep.
What causes sleep apnoea?
The sleeping disorder is caused by a disruption in breathing. During sleep, our muscles relax, including the throat. However, some people have a narrow throat and when the muscles relax, the tissues close in and block the airway, resulting in snoring.
However, not everyone who snores has sleep apnoea. There are risk factors such as obesity and large tonsils that can block the airway and cause sleep apnoea. To confirm the diagnosis, a specialist should be consulted.
Sleep quality complications
Sleep apnoea can significantly decrease the quality of your sleep. As the body stops breathing, you move from light to deep sleep or wake up entirely.
Stress
The disrupted sleep cycle caused by sleep apnoea releases stress hormones which, in turn, cause anxiety and impact the way your body uses energy. If your body gets stressed, this could lead to further complications such as high blood pressure.
Weight gain
As mentioned above, obesity can be one of the catalysts of sleep apnoea. Likewise, the condition can also lead to weight gain, as sleep apnoea leads to the release of the hormone ghrelin. This chemical causes the craving for sweets and carbs. Likewise, lack of sleep can also lead you to not metabolise food as efficiently.
Cognitive difficulties
Even with a full night’s sleep, the fact that your body didn’t properly rest results in overall grogginess during the day. When you’re awake, you have trouble with concentration and memory, especially at work.
Book a consultation with an ENT specialist
Fortunately, with proper treatment from a qualified specialist, sleep apnoea can be treated, and you can get a full night of quality sleep. At ENT Sheffield, you can get the help you need by contacting us at any time. Because we are a private clinic, you can expect no waiting lines and a flexible schedule which means Mr Wale Olarinde will be able to see you at your earliest convenience.