There are numerous obvious problems that people with sleep apnea will need either to overcome or to learn to live with. But don't despair! If you seek proper medical advice, take that advice, and look after yourself, you will be able to live happily despite your sleep apnea.
Sleep deprivation
Although a person with sleep apnea usually sleeps through each apnea episode, particularly loud snoring may wake them up several times during the course of a night, as might the jerking of their body as they fight for breath to resume. Seek treatment for sleep apnea and you will find that the symptoms of sleep deprivation which have become part of your life will be alleviated immediately.
Sharing a bed / relationship issues
Snoring and sleep apnea cause sleep loss for both the snorer and anyone unlucky enough to share a bed with him or her.
Sometimes the snorer will be subjected to repeated punches, kicks, tugs, pulls and shoves from a partner who can’t sleep due to the noise and who hopes “manually repositioning” the snorer’s body will solve the problem!
Living with sleep apnea
Getting treatment for sleep apnea and following your doctor’s advice can help you and your family members.
- Getting treatment for sleep apnea can help snoring and can improve your sleep
- Treating sleep apnea helps you feel rested during the day
- Many people will benefit by making healthy changes, such as stopping smoking and losing weight
- Some people will need to wear a mask at night to help keep the throat open and improve breathing
- A few people will need to have surgery to remove tonsils and adenoids, part of the uvula (the tissue that hangs from the middle of the back of the roof of the mouth), and/or the soft palate (the roof of your mouth in the back of your throat) that may block the airway
- Regular and ongoing followup is needed; your sleep medicine specialist will check whether your treatment is working and whether you are having any side effects