Sleep testing by Bobby Cook

There are plenty of sleep disorders to be concerned about. But perhaps the most prevalent of all, and most concerning due to its chronic nature, is sleep apnea. Sleep apnea is usually flies under the radar for people who are living alone. Living with someone, or having a partner who sleeps in the same bed makes it more likely to detect this sleep disorder. However, for a lot of people, the most familiar symptom that they're usually looking out for is snoring. Snoring is indeed a symptom of sleep apnea, but is never a hundred percent accurate means of determining that a person it. Mild snoring may be another problem entirely. Here are other signs to look out for in conjunction with loud snoring to determine whether a partner has sleep apnea.

1. Long pauses in breathing.

A strong indication of sleep apnea is when a person suddenly stops breathing while sleeping. This is more noticeable if loud snoring is involved, which is usually the case. The pauses deprive the blood of oxygen. Fortunately, the body is equipped in jumpstarting the breathing again by having the brain jolt the respiratory system into doing what it's supposed to do. Unfortunately, if this goes on for so long then there are bound to be noticeable detriments in the body down the road.

2. Always tired while wide awake.

Tiredness is a sign of not having sufficient sleep. A person who is suffering from sleep apnea might be perplexed as to why they'd feel tired all the time even though they sleep the prescribed eight hours on average. Quality sleep isn't about time spent having eyes closed but also the quality of sleep itself. People with sleep apnea get fewer benefits from their sleep due to the constant pauses in their breathing. The jolt from the brain to help the respiratory system function again may not cause them to wake up, but their body is essentially functioning almost as it would when wide awake.

3. Obesity.

The important thing to remember with determining if a person has sleep apnea is to take a look at all the telltale symptoms. Being overweight in itself, just like snoring, isn't a sure sign of sleep apnea. But if a person snores and is way beyond their ideal weight, then there are bigger chances that sleep apnea is something that their body deals with every night. This fact is difficult to accept for some overweight people. But in order to address an underlying and scary issue, one must be accepting of the facts and open to changing for the better.

If all these signs are still not enough to convince a person to go to a qualified physician, perhaps sleep testing is the best way to go. There are several options for this. One is to go to a clinic and have the test administered. Naturally, it might take a lot of time since it's difficult for some people to become drowsy at will.

Fortunately, there's the option of taking an at home sleep test where a kit is delivered to the person who ordered the kit. The results are then mailed back to the company that sent the test. Results are assessed and communicated to the person who took it.

]]>