Trust your sleep doctor in Manhattan, sleep issues can start from birth. The way you take care of yourself and your sleep schedule can really determine how many symptoms you have from there. One of the most common sleep conditions that our patients deal with at Sleep MD is sleep apnea, although not many patients understand when exactly it starts.
Understanding more about what sleep apnea is, as well as knowing what factors contribute to an increase of symptoms, can help us determine where and when it starts. Follow the quick guide below to see how sleep apnea typically affects you and your body.
The Condition
The first thing to remember is that sleep apnea is a condition, not a disease. This means it can be developed over time, or it can be inherent from birth. Most commonly, thought, sleep apnea does not make itself truly known in the body until adulthood.
What causes sleep apnea, though? Any sleep doctor in Manhattan will tell you that sleep apnea is caused when a patient stops breathing several times throughout the night, due to an obstruction of the airway in the upper mouth. It can also occur because of a shortage of brain signals, which is a risk factor for other serious conditions and concerns. If you are worried about sleep apnea and how it may be affecting your life, be sure to contact a doctor right away.
Causes of Sleep Apnea
Almost all patients who are diagnosed with sleep apnea have had it for quite a while. However, they aren’t sure exactly when it started. How far back do the symptoms go? Is it something we always have, but only notice it when the symptoms worsen?
There are a few causes of sleep apnea that may not be present at birth, but rather developed over time. This may give you a clearer understanding of why sleep apnea occurs and how long it’s been present in your body.
The most common type of sleep apnea, known as obstructive sleep apnea, can be caused due to the following reasons:
- A deviated septum or abnormal upper airways
- Aging
- Becoming overweight or even obese, increasing the size of the neck
- Smoking and drinking
- Consistently sleeping on your back
- Taking too many medications or drugs
These factors may not always cause sleep apnea, but they are large contributors to the most common types.
Alternative Health Factors
You may be suffering from another condition or disease which may have caused sleep apnea to occur within you as well. Some patients who have had a heart attack or a stroke may suddenly experience sleep apnea on a more consistent level. In fact, there are even certain heart treatments which may cause sleep apnea to occur as a complication.
Your sleep doctor in Manhattan can shed more light on the commonality of sleep apnea within you, as well as how often the symptoms have been appearing. If you notice that you are sleepy during the daytime, and you don’t get consistently good sleep, you may be suffering from the effects of sleep apnea in silence.
Get in Touch with Your Sleep Doctor in Manhattan
Sleep apnea may present itself at a very early age, or it may come about during the aging process. If you’ve gained weight recently, or suffered from heart complications, you are at risk for developing sleep apnea which can affect your overall health. If left untreated, sleep apnea can prove fatal. To schedule a consultation with your sleep doctor in Manhattan, you can get in touch with your friendly staff members at Sleep MD NYC. To contact us, simply reach out online or give us a call at (212) 661-7077. Don’t wait until it’s too late!
