A few weeks ago was Sleep Awareness Week and we would like to talk about a condition that can disrupt your sleep, sleep apnea. Sleep apnea is a condition that strikes more often during pregnancy and temporarily blocks your airway while you’re asleep. Since apnea deprives your body of oxygen, it can be dangerous for both you and your baby-to-be. Lets take a look at what sleep apnea is, the risk factors, signs and symptoms and what you can do about it.
What is it?
Apnea is categorized by breathlessness (or shallow breathing) that usually last about ten seconds each. People with mild sleep apnea typically have five to 15 breathing suspensions an hour, those with moderate apnea have 15 to 30, and those with severe sleep apnea suffer over 30 episodes an hour. (1)
Apnea is usually accompanied by snoring and people do not realize they are even experiencing this. It’s possible to wake up in the morning and not realize there were any issues, although it does greatly affect the quality of the previous night’s sleep.
Who’s at risk?
- All pregnant women have an increased risk because higher levels of estrogen during pregnancy can cause the mucus membranes lining the airway to swell, constricting airflow.
- If you are overweight or obese going into the pregnancy. The extra weight on the neck puts pressure on the airways
- If you were normal weight before pregnancy, but gain excessive weight during the pregnancy
- Moms-to-be who have gestational diabetes are also at higher risk of having apnea
Over time, sleep apnea lowers your blood-oxygen levels (the less air you breathe in each night, the less oxygen your body gets), increasing your risk of high blood pressure, heart attack, stroke, obesity, diabetes, depression, and heart failure
If I don’t know I am doing this, what are the signs I should look for while awake?
Hopefully your partner will let you know. Even if they don’t you can still look for signs such as falling asleep while watching tv or while doing work at your desk. You may become more irritable, impatient or forgetful. You also may wake up with frequent headaches.
It is important to talk to your doctor if you suspect you have apnea or any trouble sleeping in general. Apnea can be treated with some lifestyle changes and if it is more serious, can be treated with a CPAP machine (continuous positive airway pressure) which allows the airway to be opened using a mask.
While talking to your doctor is always the first recommendation, we are here to guide you with additional lifestyle changes that may help reduce your risk factors.
Contact us for more information.
References:
- “Sleep and Pregnancy”. Accessed 4, January 2016. Sleepfoundation.org. https://sleepfoundation.org/sleep-topics/pregnancy-and-sleep
- Image courtesy of David Castillo Dominici at FreeDigitalPhotos.net
