Are You at High Risk for Sleep Apnea?

Lots of people snore. Snoring regularly can be normal and completely safe. When there are pauses in breathing and snoring becomes loud, it can be the sign of dangerous sleep apnea. The Acronym " S.T.O.P B.A.N.G" may be able to help you figure out if your snoring is a cause for concern and if you are at high risk for sleep apnea.

S - Snoring. Loud snoring is an obvious sign of sleep apnea. It can be heard through closed doors or may sound like a "dying bear"

T - Tired. Daytime tiredness and constant naps during the day are often signs of sleep apnea.

O - Observed. If someone observes you stop breathing or gasping for air while you sleep.

P - Pressure. High blood pressure is a sign of sleep apnea because the body becomes stressed when airflow is cut off during apnea events. CPAP use can lower your blood pressure over time if you suffer from sleep apnea.

B - BMI. If you have a BMI of 35 or more you may be at risk of sleep apnea due to extra weight making it more difficult for the body to breathe. Weight loss can decrease the amount apnea events.

A - Age. If you are over 50 your snoring and sleep apnea may be caused by weakening muscles. Sleep apnea cases are usually mild when caused by age.

N - Neck. Having a collar size greater than 17 inches for a male and 16 inches for a female due to weight or genetics increases your risk for sleep apnea.

G - Gender. Men are more likely to suffer from sleep apnea due breathing difficulties caused by upper body fat, fatty tongues, and belly fat. Women tend to get sleep apnea after menopause.

If you answered YES to 5 or more you are in a high risk category and should get tested for sleep apnea. Weight loss, healthy diets and daily CPAP use decrease sleep apnea events and the health issues caused by sleep apnea like heart attacks, dementia and cancer.

View original article from CNN HERE for some great tips on good sleep.