This simple checklist may give you insight as to whether you could have sleep apnea

Not getting quality sleep is a problem that all of us deal with at some point; however, it’s important to be able to recognize when those nights of bad sleep could actually be an indicator of an underlying problem. In fact, many people with obstructive sleep apnea, a common sleep disorder, have it but don’t even know it. The sooner you find out that you have sleep apnea the sooner our Long Beach, CA, otolaryngologists can treat it and the better your sleep will be.

Here’s a quick evaluation that you can go through yourself to determine whether the symptoms you are experiencing could be due to sleep apnea. Ask yourself these questions,

• Do you snore loudly and regularly (you may not notice you snore but your partner may complain. Loud means that someone can hear you in the next room)?
• Do you wake up feeling exhausted despite getting enough sleep each night?
• Has your partner said that you gasp for air in the middle of the night or that you stop breathing?
• Have you been diagnosed with high blood pressure?

If you’ve said “yes” to at least two of these questions, this is considered a high risk for sleep apnea. It’s recommended that you come into our Long Beach, CA, office for an evaluation. Of course, there are other risk factors that can also increase your risk for sleep apnea. These risk factors include,

• Being over 50 years old
• Being male
• Having a body mass index (BMI) over 25 (being overweight or obese)
• Having a neck circumference that is larger than 16 inches (for women) or 17 inches (for men)

Does obstructive sleep apnea require treatment?

The reason it’s so crucial that you see a doctor if you suspect that you might have sleep apnea is that untreated obstructive sleep apnea doesn’t just affect your mood, energy levels and work performance, it can also seriously impact your health.

Those with OSA are more at risk for heart disease, stroke and diabetes. This is why it’s important that you get a proper sleep apnea evaluation from a medical doctor so that if you do have OSA that you get the treatment you need to prevent these complications.

Ready to find out if your sleep issues could be due to obstructive sleep apnea? If so, it’s time to turn to the Tan Head and Neck Center at Long Beach, CA, by calling (562) 988-8818. Let us know that you are concerned about obstructive sleep apnea.