Do You Snore?

ARE YOU a heavy snorer? Some people are and do not even know it. Thus, they are not aware of why they wake up feeling weak and groggy. Their disorder is known as sleep apnea. While a person with this disorder sleeps, throat muscles that keep the breathing passages open relax to the point that the airway closes. Up to a minute may pass before the person gasps for air and awakens briefly. Most apnea sufferers do not know that their sleep is disrupted. The only clue may come from a roommate who is often awakened by the snoring. Experts believe that apnea contributes to car and job accidents and that it may be a factor in strokes and heart attacks.

Is there a solution? The Complete Home Medical Guide (Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons) advises: “Men are affected 20 times more often than women. More than half the sufferers are obese, which further compromises the normal flow of air. Weight reduction, therefore, is an important part of therapy.” The same source suggests that in severe cases, an operation to reduce the airway obstruction might be advisable.