Astria Health | Valley Health | Issue 1, 2018

ASTRIA.HEALTH • ISSUE 1, 2018 7 Could your snore mean something more? Call 509.882.1855 for an appointment with Dr. Riaz. Muhammad Riaz, MD 208 E. Euclid Road, Grandview 509.882.1855 The big snore If you snore like a freight train, you might be the butt of a few friendly jokes. But there’s nothing funny about the snoring that’s associated with sleep apnea, a common sleep disorder that can cause serious health problems. Not every loud snorer has sleep apnea. But it’s a frequent sign. People with sleep apnea stop breathing at night—briefly and repeatedly. When these pauses happen, people may snore, make choking noises as they struggle to breathe and partially wake up since they’re temporarily deprived of oxygen. Often, that interrupted breathing is caused by collapsed tissue in the back of the throat that blocks the passage of air into the lungs. Seek better slumber “People who have sleep disorders are usually at risk for having other medical problems like heart disease, diabetes, depression and chronic metabolic syn- drome,” says Muhammad Riaz, MD, sleep medicine specialist with Astria Health. So it’s important to pay attention to possible symptoms of a sleep disorder. “Sleeping too much is a sign of possible underlying sleep disorders, such as sleep apnea,” Dr. Riaz says. “Optimal sleep duration for most adults—people age 24 to 64—remains seven to nine hours.” Sleeping too much is just one sign of sleep apnea. Along with snoring and interrupted breathing or choking sounds during sleep, red flags include having: •  Morning headaches. •  Excessive daytime drowsiness—for example, falling asleep at work or while driving. •  Difficulty staying asleep. •  A dry mouth or sore throat upon awakening. •  Trouble concentrating. •  Forgetfulness. •  Moodiness, irritability or depression. If there’s any chance you have sleep apnea, tell your doctor. An overnight sleep study can help diagnose this sleep disorder, which is treatable. Often that treatment includes continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP). You’ll sleep with a face mask hooked up to a machine that will keep your airways open with a steady stream of air. And in some cases, says Dr. Riaz, “You can aggressively lose weight, get into shape— and that might be enough to reverse your sleep apnea.” Sources: American Academy of Family Physicians; American Academy of Sleep Medicine; National Institutes of Health SLEEP APNEA There’s nothing funny about the snoring that’s associated with sleep apnea, a common sleep disorder that can cause serious health problems.