If you snore occasionally when you have a cold or are congested that is not usually a problem. However, long term or chronic snoring is almost always a sign of sleep apnea. Apnea means "no breathing" and it occurs when you stop breathing in the middle of the night.
Apnea is caused when your airways are completely collapsed as you sleep. They also may be partially collapsed and this creates a vibration noise that results in snoring. However, snoring is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to problems that sleep apnea can cause.
When your throat is obstructed at night and you cannot breathe, it sends an alarm signal to your brain. The brain tells your body to wake up so you can start breathing again. This might happen hundreds of times each night and can make getting proper rest almost impossible. You might wake up tired and cranky and be dragging about all during the day. Also, people with sleep apnea have a greater risk for high blood pressure and cardiovascular events.
Your sleep medicine center provides sleep testing to determine the cause of your snoring. Many patients are helped with the aid of CPAP equipment. CPAP means "continuous positive airway pressure" and it keeps your airways from collapsing. This allows you to sleep soundly and uninterrupted all through the night.
Since obesity is a cause of sleep apnea you may get relief from weight loss and CPAP therapy. Yet, some patients may need surgery to correct the problem permanently. Your Chicago sleep center provides therapy for all kinds of sleeping disorders.
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Get an overview of the reasons why you should consult a sleep doctor and more information about a Chicago insomnia treatment professional at http://www.sleepmedcenter.com now.
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