Do you have trouble sleeping at night? Do you snore? Or wake up feeling excessively tired and irritable?
If you answered yes to any of these questions, then you may be suffering from sleep apnea, a condition that means that you have regular pauses in breathing during your sleep.
It may sound scary, but Sleep Apnea is actually more common than you might think. In fact, research suggests that up to 25% of the population may suffer from it in some form.
According to Randy Spilchen, the owner/operator of Yorkton sleep clinic SCS CPAP Services, it’s a problem that often goes undiagnosed in sufferers.
“Many people don't even know that they suffer from sleep apnea,” he says. “Left untreated it can cause a whole heap of health issues including heart failure, diabetes, and strokes - it’s even a common factor in motor vehicle accidents.”
Sleep apnea is clearly a serious issue, so how can you tell if you might be suffering from it? We asked Randy for some of the telltale signs to watch out for:
Excessive fatigue - While you may feel like you got a good night’s rest, the breaks caused by sleep apnea add up to a lot of lost sleep.
Snoring and/or breathing pauses - One of the most commonly cited symptoms is loud, disruptive snoring and regular breathing pauses.
Morning headaches - Sleep apnea sufferers frequently stop breathing during the night, which means that less oxygen is making its way to your brain and that in turn causes headaches.
Lack of concentration/memory loss - Breaking the oxygen supply to your brain can also cause memory loss and make it harder to concentrate during the daytime.
Irritability or depression - Even if you don't realize it, losing sleep every night can make you anxious, irritable and depressed.
If you have experienced any of the above symptoms, it may be time to contact a sleep specialist.
SCS CPAP Services have more than 28 years of experience and offer free consultations and in-home sleep apnea testing. They also provide a range of treatment options including a variety of CPAP masks, humidifiers and other accessories that are designed to help sufferers cope with sleep apnea.
For more information, visit their clinic at #9 – Fifth Ave. North, their website, or call 306-783-0034 to book your free appointment.
