Do you have a sleep disorder?

Do you snore? Are you excessively tired during the day? Have you been told that you have high blood pressure? Do you suffer from morning headaches? If you answered yes to any of these questions you may have a sleep disorder. It’s estimated that up to 18 million Americans suffer from one of 84 identified sleep disorders.

The following are risk factors associated with a higher incidence of sleep disorders:

• excess weight or obesity 
• family history of sleep apnea 
• male gender 
• large neck (greater than 17" in men, greater than 16" in women) 
• recessed chin 
• physical abnormality in the nose, throat or upper airway
• aging 
• smoking 
• use of alcohol or sleeping pills 
• ethnicity (African-Americans, Pacific Islanders and Hispanics seem to be at increased risk) 
• snoring

If you have one or more of these above risk factors and you answered yes to any of the questions above, please discuss your sleep patterns with your doctor. Patients who have received treatment for their sleep disorders have had dramatic improvements in their life. Patient Dan S. says, “After starting CPAP [continuous positive airway pressure], I feel like I am living my life instead of sleepwalking through it.”

If you’d like more information, contact the Sleep Disorders Center at 513-524-5475.