Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula
SLEEP DISORDERS CENTER
Fact Sheet About Snoring and/or Sleep Apnea
• Doesyoursnoringwakeyouupatnight?
• Doyougetnightlyreminders“toturnover”or“stopsnoring”fromyourbedpartnerfor
interruptinghisorhersleep?
• Hasanyoneevertoldyouthatyouhavepausesinbreathingwhileyousleep?
• Doyoufallasleeporbecomedrowsywhiledriving?
Ifyouansweredyestoanyofthosequestions,youmaybe1of40millionAmericanswhosuffer
fromobstructivesleepapnea.
Sleepapneaoccurswhenthemusclesinthebackofasleepingperson’sthroatrelaxandcoveror
blocktheairway,stoppingbreathing.
Notallpeoplewhosnorehavesleepapnea.Snoringinitselfisnotenough.Snoringand“pauses”in
breathingarewhatiscalledapnea.
Untreatedsleepapneacanbelife-threateningbecausethedropinoxygenlevelscanleadtohigh
bloodpressure,heartattack,difficult-to-controldiabetes,andstroke.
Sleepapneamayincreasetheriskofheartfailurebecauseoftheswinginbloodpressureduring
apneicperiodsthatoccurnumeroustimesduringsleep.
Symptomsofsleepapneaincludewakingupinthemorningjustastiredaswhenyouwenttosleep,
snoring,poordaytimeconcentration,andtheinabilitytostayawakeduringnormaldaytimefunctions.
Sleepapneacanbecausedbyfactorssuchasbodyshape,neckcircumference(16inchesorlargerin
men,15inchesorlargerinwomen),andbodymassindex(BMIof30orgreater).
Whenpeoplesleep,theirbodiesneedtorelax,butforthosewhohavehighbloodpressuretheir
heartsdon’tgetthatchancetorestbecausetheirpressuresstayhighwhenaffectedbysleepapnea.
Manypeoplefailtogetagoodnight’ssleepnightafternight,oftenwithoutevenrealizingit.
AccordingtotheMayoClinic,only10percentofsleepapneasufferersarediagnosedandtreated.
Fortunately,CommunityHospitaloftheMontereyPeninsula’sSleepDisordersCenteratRyanRanch
isheretohelp.Asimplereferralfromyourdoctorforasleepconsultationorsleepstudycanhelp
seewhetheryouareoneofthe40millionAmericanswhosufferfromsleepapnea.
Remember,weareheretohelpimproveyourhealth.Formoreinformation,callthe
SleepDisordersCenterat(831)649-7210orspeakwithyourdoctor.
2 Upper Ragsdale Drive, Building D, Suite 220, Monterey, California 93940
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(831) 649-7210