
Sleep Apnea in Women
Several people firmly believe that the sleeping disorders such as sleep apnea and snoring predominantly affect men. This conclusion was made based on the results obtained from early clinical researches and epidemiological studies that were conducted on male patients only. The studies, which were conducted during the 1970’s and 1980’s, stated that the male to female ratio of people falling prey to sleep apnea was approximately 60 to 1. However, recent studies conducted by sleep analysts revealed a shocking conclusion that sleep apnea and snoring is not that rare in women as they are believed to be.
Latest studies conducted on sleep disorders, by evaluating both male and female patients, revealed that the male to female ratio of sleep apnea is approximately 2 to 1. It was also seen that most men who suffer from sleep apnea and snoring usually seek the help of health care providers if they are unable to get a good night’s sleep due to these sleeping disorders. However, approximately 50 percent of women who suffer from such sleeping disorders, particularly snoring, prefer not to report their symptoms to health care providers due to embarrassment or shame.
The study further revealed that the condition of sleep apnea was undiagnosed in approximately 90 percent women. Still, women who were suffering from mild to moderate sleep apnea did not report any symptoms of the sleeping disorder to their health care provider.
Symptoms of Sleep Apnea in Women
It is crucial to note that the symptoms of sleep apnea and snoring are the same in both men and women. However, some women also experience additional symptoms such as depression, tension, insomnia, headaches, and daytime fatigue. It is also seen that pregnant women tent to show these symptoms more.
If you are women who are experiencing snoring or symptoms of sleep apnea, then you should immediately get in touch with a health care provider to get medical assistance. This is because snoring and sleep apnea can lead to serious health disorders if left untreated.
Your health care provider will initially ask you to make a few lifestyle changes and ask you to do a few mouth exercises to stop snoring. However, if that does not work, the sleep specialist will advise you to use medically approved anti snoring aids. Using a snoring mouth guard while you are sleeping will allow you to effectively fight against the symptoms of snoring and sleep apnea, in turn allowing you to have a peaceful night’s sleep.
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