Is it Sleep Apnea or Simply Allergies?

Let's review what we have learned. Sleep apnea is a sleeping
disorder wherein the breathing of the person is halted for
short intermittent periods. Apnea literally translates to
lack of breathing.

Sleep apnea is not necessarily a life-threatening condition,
however, there are many associated negative effects with
sleep apnea. In simple terms, sleep apnea results in a lack
of oxygen in the blood. We all know from elementary science
that we need oxygen to survive. The lack of oxygen in the
blood can actually result in very serious effects to the
body such as permanent brain damage and even death.

There are a lot of people who have sleep apnea. A study
revealed that around 20 percent of the whole American adult
population has some minor case of sleep apnea. But how will
one know if it is apnea or simply a reaction to common
allergy or the reaction to the medications taken for the
treatment of such allergies?

Spotting the symptoms of allergies

We all know what it's like to have episodes of allergies.
Almost all people have some allergic reaction to some
things. When a stimulus comes in contact with a person who
is allergic to the said substance, his body reacts to it.
The common symptoms of allergies are manifested overtly.
People experience itching of the eyes, a runny nose, or
develop rashes. The effects of allergic reactions almost
always affect the sleep of the person. The uncomfortable
feeling from the allergy can disrupt the sleep of the person
or perhaps they wouldn't allow him to sleep in the first
place.

How does an allergic reaction affect the sleep of a person?
Well, for one, an allergic reaction usually causes the nose
to become runny, making it impossible to breath through the
nostrils. As the body struggles to breath through the nose,
sleep disturbance is also attained. Allergies are also known
to cause some kind of pain or irritation; this makes
allergies a barrier towards a good night's sleep.

Moreover, a blocked nose from an allergic reaction makes it
impossible for the air to be filtered out and warmed because
it is rerouted into the mouth. This makes the mouth, throat
and lips to become dry and therefore, they become irritated.

When one tries to treat the allergic reaction, he uses
medication to counter its effects. The use of medication can
cause the disruption of the sleep patterns as well.

Spotting the symptoms of sleep apnea

What are the symptoms of sleep apnea? There's a thin line
that has to be recognized in determining whether a perceived
condition is sleep apnea or is simply brought about by
allergies and allergic reactions.

The most common symptoms of sleep apnea are the following:

-Loud Snoring Snoring can actually be caused by or cause
sleep apnea. It is really a vicious cycle. The tension on
the throat when snoring makes it more difficult to breath.

-Intermittent breathing during sleep This is the main
essence of sleep apnea. However, the problem is that one
cannot really know if is breathing intermittently while he
is asleep. He will have to decipher the other symptoms of
sleep apnea.

-Sudden awakening during sleep This can be a very good clue
that one has sleep apnea. If he can remember that he wakes
up for very short periods of time while he is asleep, he
probably has some sort of sleep apnea.

-Feeling tired early in the morning Sleep apnea results in
poor sleep patterns; therefore, the optimum rest time is not
achieved. People with sleep apnea will feel very tired after
they wake up in the morning.

-Daytime sleepiness Because of the lack of quality sleep
during the night, people with sleep apnea will tend to sleep
during the day. They will feel very sleepy as they go about
their daily tasks and activities.

-Poor memory Sleep apnea also affects the mind of a person,
making him a bit senile and he will develop a poor memory
because of the lack of rest.

-Personality change A person who has sleep apnea will tend
to be very groggy and grouchy. He can be compared to someone
who has been stressed out (in his case, he's stressed out
even early in the morning).

If you feel that you manifest the different symptoms above,
try going to the doctor to get checked up so that you can
get rid of your sleep apnea. Always remember that sleep is
one of the most important activities in our human lives.