My Partner Says I Snore Too Much. Is It Sleep Apnea?

Do you lie awake listening to your partner snore throughout the night? Loud snoring is a common symptom of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), a condition that constricts or blocks the airway.

What Causes Obstructive Sleep Apnea?

During sleep, the body’s muscles grow more relaxed. The throat normally remains open to allow oxygen to flow.

When you fall asleep, the soft tissues and tongue relax and collapse, obstructing the flow of oxygen to your lungs. The word “apnea” is Greek for “not breathing.”

OSA causes a pause in your breathing. Some people experience a few pauses in airflow per night, but others can have multiple episodes per minute.

In general, men have a higher risk of developing OSA, but women’s risk increases after menopause. People older than 65 are also more likely to have the condition, but children can have OSA as well.

You also are more likely to develop obstructive sleep apnea if …

• You have large tonsils or adenoids that block your airway.
• You have a large neck or collar size.
• You have a small jaw, or your jaw is pulled back.
• The shape of your mouth or palate naturally causes a collapse in your airway.
• You have a large tongue, which can settle back during sleep and block air flow.
• You are obese.
• You sleep on your back.

What Are the Symptoms of Obstructive Sleep Apnea?

If you have OSA, you probably begin to snore very soon after you fall asleep. You may snore quite loudly, but there will be pauses of silence (apneas) followed by a gasp or snort as you try to resume breathing. You will repeat this pattern throughout the night.

Most of the time, your partner or family members will notice symptoms of OSA before you do. Besides your loud snoring, they may observe the following:

• Tossing and turning throughout the night
• Jerky body movements
• Pauses in breathing
• Choking or gasping

While you may not know how loud you snore or how many times you’ve woken up during the night, you will likely notice certain symptoms during the day. Some of these may include the following:

• Feeling unrefreshed in the morning, even if you spent eight or more hours in bed
• A morning headache when you wake up
• Fatigue and drowsiness all day
• A dry, sore throat from snoring
• Problems with concentration or memory
• Moodiness and grumpiness from not getting adequate rest
• Drowsiness or falling asleep during activities like reading, watching TV and driving

What Are the Risks Associated with Untreated Obstructive Sleep Apnea?

Untreated OSA can be dangerous because it makes you more likely to have a car accident. You could be putting yourself, your family and other motorists at risk.

Without medical intervention, long-term OSA can increase your risk for high blood pressure, depression, heart disease, cardiac arrest, stroke, type 2 diabetes and even a shorter lifespan.

How Do Doctors Treat Obstructive Sleep Apnea?

Doctors can treat OSA in many different ways, depending on what factors are causing OSA. Sometimes a doctor can isolate a reason for the apneas and treat that first.

Lifestyle Changes Like Weight Loss and Avoiding Alcohol

For some people who are overweight, losing weight could cause OSA to go away. Regular exercise and a high-fiber diet full of fruits and vegetables and whole grains can help remove excess weight that may contribute to OSA.

Alcohol is a relaxant, and it slows down the central nervous system. Consuming alcohol relaxes the muscles of the mouth and throat, which can cause tissue to sag and block the airway. Consuming alcohol later in the day and in greater quantities can negatively impact obstructive sleep apnea, as alcohol raises the arousal threshold, making it more difficult to awaken and resume normal breathing.

Altering Your Sleep Position

Back sleeping increases the likelihood of airway obstructions and can make OSA worse. A better option is side sleeping. Utilizing a body pillow and positioning a pillow between your knees can enhance nighttime comfort while maintaining proper alignment of your spine and neck.

Some people with sleep apnea also find that putting a tennis ball in a sock and sewing the sock to the back of your pajama shirt works well to prevent them from back sleeping. The tennis ball creates just enough discomfort to make them roll back to their side without arousing them from sleep.

Surgically Removing the Obstruction

For people who have large tonsils or adenoids, they may benefit from surgery like a tonsillectomy or adenoidectomy. Other surgical procedures can remove excess tissue from the throat or reposition the tongue.

Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP)

Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) is a device that blows air through a mask and into the nose to keep the airway open. A doctor can adjust the air pressure to an optimal setting for comfort and reduced apneas.

Initially, using a CPAP device might seem difficult and irritating, but it serves as an efficient, non-invasive treatment for obstructive sleep apnea that can improve your condition right away.

Within days or weeks of using CPAP, people usually report feeling more rested, rejuvenated and alert. Studies show nightly use of CPAP can rapidly lower blood pressure and improve arterial tone, and normal breathing patterns from CPAP can decrease risk for cardiac arrest and diabetes.

Partners of CPAP users also get better sleep because the continuous air flow prevents snoring.

The Dangerous Combination of Sleep Apnea and Insomnia

Poor sleeping is a nationwide problem, and OSA is just one contributor. One in three Americans don’t get the recommended amount of sleep for good health, and 50 to 70 million Americans have a sleep disorder, according to the American Sleep Apnea Association.

Insomnia is a common sleep disorder that makes it difficult to fall asleep, stay asleep or get quality sleep at night. Insomnia and OSA each affect 10 percent of the population, but one-third of patients with OSA admit they also have chronic insomnia.

Comorbid chronic insomnia and OSA (COMISA) refers to the combination of obstructive sleep apnea and chronic insomnia. People with COMISA experience the following:

• Impaired daytime functioning
• Higher risk of cardiovascular disease and heart failure
• Psychiatric issues
• Increased risk of mortality
• Lower quality of life

Trouble with Snoring or Sleeplessness May Require Treatment, Surgery

If you suffer from chronic insomnia or waking during the night, you may have a treatable medical condition. Ask your partner or family members if you begin snoring soon after you fall asleep, and ask them to share any patterns they observe.

Our ear, nose and throat (ENT) doctors can help diagnose conditions that contribute to sleep apnea or insomnia as well as provide treatment options. Sometimes, sinus congestion can cause obstructions in the airway and put you at risk for long-term health problems.

An ENT can also look at the anatomy of your soft palate, throat, tonsils and adenoids and assess what type of treatment you may need. You may benefit from a sleep study that evaluates your breathing patterns and episodes of wakefulness.

Multiple complications may lead you to seek treatment and possibly surgery. For decades, patients have received safe, high-quality outpatient surgical procedures with increased savings and convenience at ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) across the nation.

Our ASC is committed to providing a great patient experience with highly professional service and the most advanced technologies available. Patients are discharged from our facility the same day as the procedure and recover at home.

Call today so you — and everyone else in your home — can rest more peacefully at night and wake up feeling refreshed.