Sleep Apnea Symptoms in Women

Sleep apnea is a type of sleep disorder, which causes abnormal pauses in breathing during sleep. This condition is more prevalent among men. However, women too can get this condition, and their risk for developing this condition increases considerably after menopause. There are basically three types of sleep apnea, which are known as obstructive sleep apnea, central sleep apnea and complex sleep apnea. Each type of sleep apnea are caused by different factors, but their symptoms usually overlap, which can make it a bit hard to identify the specific type. The symptoms of sleep apnea are less prominent in women than men. This can make it a bit difficult to identify this condition in women.

Sleep Apnea Causes

As has been mentioned already, there are three types of sleep apnea, out of which obstructive sleep apnea is more common. It is mainly caused by the relaxation of the muscles in the back of the throat during sleep. This causes the airways to close or become narrow, which in turn results in momentary pauses in breathing. Central sleep apnea is not very common and is caused by the failure of the brain to send signals to the muscles that are responsible for controlling breathing. Complex sleep apnea can occur due to both obstructive sleep apnea and central sleep apnea. The main risk factors are obesity or being overweight, high blood pressure, age, family history, being male, heart disorders, neurological disease, stroke, deviated septum, enlarged tonsils, overuse of sedatives and tranquilizers, smoking and excessive consumption of alcohol.

Sleep Apnea Signs

The classic symptoms in both men and women are, snoring. Snoring can be particularly louder and disturbing when the individual sleeps on his or her back. Loud snoring is usually observed in the case of obstructive sleep apnea. However, just because you snore while sleeping, does not mean that you have sleep apnea. Not every individual who snores has sleep apnea. Apart from snoring, some common symptoms are, snorting, gasping, choking and long pauses in breathing.

It prevents the affected individual from getting deep and sound sleep by creating temporary pauses in breathing. This can manifest in excessive daytime sleepiness. Many women and men with this condition can wake up gasping for air. Apart from these, morning headaches, insomnia, frequent urination during night, restless legs, irritability, difficulty in concentrating, forgetfulness, and depression can be some other symptoms in adults.

Symptoms of sleep apnea like, loud snoring, episodes of breathing cessation, frequent tossing and turning during sleep and gasping spells are usually observed by the bed partner. Some of the symptoms that are more commonly observed in women are not very specific to the condition, for which this condition can go unnoticed. Such symptoms are, fatigue, insomnia, morning headache, waking up with a dry mouth or sore throat, mood disturbances, daytime sleepiness, irritability, restless legs, myalgia and lack of energy.

Treatment for Sleep Apnea

Mild cases of sleep apnea can be resolved with a few changes in lifestyle. Some such important lifestyle changes include losing weight, quitting smoking, limiting the use of alcohol and sedatives, avoiding caffeine, sleeping on the sides instead of the back, and maintaining a proper sleep schedule. However, for serious cases of sleep apnea appropriate treatment measures would be required along with these lifestyle changes. The main treatment options for obstructive sleep apnea are, use of devices like, 'Continuous positive airway pressure' (CPAP), adjustable airway pressure devices and oral appliances. Sometimes, surgery can also be required for sleep apnea treatment. On the other hand, the treatment options that are available for central and complex sleep apnea are, supplemental oxygen, and devices like Continuous positive airway pressure or CPAP, Bilevel positive airway pressure (BPAP) and Adaptive servo-ventilation (ASV).

Though sleep apnea is known to be more common in men, women are not immune to this condition. Therefore, they should also remain vigilant and report any symptom that can be associated with sleep apnea, to their physician. Timely evaluation of this condition can ensure early identification of this condition, and prevent the complications like cardiovascular diseases which can stem from this condition.