Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) happens when one snores loudly during sleep. The main symptom of OSA occurs when the soft tissue in the throat’s back relaxes, blocks the upper airway, and causes the snoring sound. Apnea is commonly seen in men and women. Since some of the health factors such as obesity, diabetes, and high blood pressure are found more in men than women, there is a perception that women do not experience apnea as frequently as men do.

While that may be partly true, plenty of women do experience snoring and apnea, while some has the risk factors that can lead to the sleep disorder. Below are 3 things, which one may not know about OSA in women. Knowing about this health condition in detail will lead you to take a sleep test and try the remedies to stop snoring and get a relief during sleep. If you feel that you have any of the symptoms that pose a risk factor apnea, consult a doctor as soon as possible, and they will suggest you the right apnea and snoring remedies.

Apnea in Women is Often Misdiagnosed

More attention has been given to the health impacts of the sleep disorder for men than in women. This is largely due to medicine, which has created a perception that apnea patients are middle-aged adults who are obese and frequently snorers. The physicians who are into apnea are trained to check symptoms such as loud snoring, breathing cessations, and daytime sleeping, since apnea has been studied more in men than in women.

As women tend to experience peculiar symptoms, the sleep disorder is often overlooked in them. That is because it is tough to diagnose apnea in women as certain conditions can be mistaken for common health concerns. They include depression, cardiac diseases, hypertension, and menopausal changes.

The Apnea Symptoms in Women Differ to Men

Obviously, a man’s body differs to that of a woman and so do some physiological and biological factors. The symptoms of apnea that differ in women as opposed to men include everything from restless leg syndrome to weight gain, which occurs during pregnancy period, and things such as anxiety.

Apnea Cause Complications during Pregnancy

Pregnancy can worsen the apnea episodes during sleep. As pregnancy can cause sleep deprivations and exhaustion, it can be tricky for doctors to tell if the symptoms are related to apnea or not. Pregnant women have to fathom things such as high blood pressure, gestational diabetes, or preeclampsia, so OSA can cause more complications to the health during the pregnancy period. For instance, pregnancy-related apnea is linked to the said conditions, preterm delivery and even low birth weight leading to intensive care for them.