If your partner is tired all the time, even if he or she gets an adequate amount of sleep at night, sleep apnea may be the culprit. An individual who has this condition has an issue with normal breathing patterns, and it causes the person to stop and restart breathing numerous times throughout the night.
There are three types of sleep apnea: Obstructive, central, and complex. Obstructive occurs when the throat muscles relax, causing the airway to close. Central is when the breathing muscles do not receive the correct signals from the brain, and complex is a combination of the two.
There are certain signs that indicate a person suffers from sleep apnea. Some include daytime fatigue, irritability, a morning headache, and difficulty concentrating during the day. Other signs are only observable by the person sleeping next to him or her. If your partner is diagnosed with sleep apnea, a common treatment recommendation is to wear a CPAP face mask while sleeping.
How to Get the Best Night Sleep with Your Partner
Along with recognizing symptoms that commonly accompany sleep deprivation, there are signs that occur while the person is sleeping that only you may notice. Loud snoring is one indication. However, there are numerous causes of snoring, so it should not be the only sign. Pay attention if your partner has episodes in which he or she stops breathing while sleeping, as this is a common sign of sleep apnea. Another one is if your partner wakes up briefly and frequently, gasping for air.
If your partner snores, there is a good chance that your sleep is not very fitful either, which results in you having similar symptoms as your partner throughout the day. If you notice that your partner often stops breathing or gasps for air, your sleep may also be compromised because you are worried. If your partner suffers from many of these symptoms and signs, you should meet with a sleep specialist to see if a resmed mirage quattro full face mask can help both of you sleep better.
Figuring Out How to Take the Next Step
The ultimate diagnosis for sleep apnea occurs based off the results of a sleep test. For some people, this occurs at a sleep center, where the person’s sleep will be monitored. Machines will examine the patient’s breathing patterns, heart rate, blood oxygen levels, arm and leg movements, and brain activity throughout the night.
This test can also be conducted via a home test. This test is not as comprehensive as the sleep center one, so if results come back normal, the sleep specialist may recommend the person spend a night at the sleep center for more testing.
If sleep apnea is diagnosed, there are a number of treatment options. For mild symptoms, the specialist may recommend lifestyle changes. If the apnea is caused by impaired brain activity, the specialist may recommend a visit with a neurologist. For people with moderate or severe sleep apnea, a CPAP mask, such as the resmed n30i, is a common treatment method.
