Good sleep is crucial to good health. Unfortunately, sleep apnea can get in the way of good sleep, causing a cascade of negative health consequences. Thanks to effective sleep apnea treatments, there are good ways to keep your sleep apnea under control.
What happens, though, when you notice your sleep apnea getting worse? If you notice your condition worsening, there are several possible causes that you should investigate. Here are four of the most common causes to help you with your diagnosis.
Weight Gain
If you have recently put on some extra weight, that could be why your sleep apnea is getting worse. Extra weight causes increased compression of your airways, which exacerbates your sleep apnea. The good news is that working to lose this weight through exercise will help you sleep better by making you more tired and by re-opening your blocked airways.
Hormones Out Of Whack
As you age, the hormones in your body tend to be disrupted as your body produces less of what you need. These lower hormone levels can worsen sleep apnea because the muscles in the throat become less defined, meaning it’s easier for the throat to collapse. For men, a testosterone therapy replacement physician can help detect what your levels are, what they should be, and provide treatments that help restore your lost hormones.
New Medications
If you’ve recently started taking a new medication, that may be the cause of your worsening sleep apnea. Since many medications deal with muscles and blood flow, it’s common for your sleep apnea to worsen as a result of a new medication. Therefore, it’s important to speak with your doctor whenever a new medication is prescribed to ensure you fully understand all of the possible side effects.
Smoking
The effects of smoking on sleep apnea may not be immediately apparent. However, the cumulative effects of smoking can significantly worsen sleep apnea. As your body works harder to move oxygen into your bloodstream, the capacity of your lungs will be lowered, thus affecting your airways, as well, causing increasingly bad sleep apnea complications. In this scenario, working on quitting smoking is the only course of action.
If you can’t figure out on your own why your sleep apnea is getting worse, it’s important to have an honest conversation with your doctor about what you’re experiencing. By bringing your doctor into the mix, you can receive the help and care you need to get your sleep apnea back under control. Sleep apnea is difficult on its own. Don’t make it more difficult by trying to tackle it yourself.