Sleep apnea is a very common sleep disorder, affecting roughly 20 million Americans. Sleep apnea is a condition in which a person stops breathing periodically during sleep. These cessations in breathing can occur anywhere from a few times a night up to hundreds of times a night. When a person stops breathing in their sleep, they are partially awakened from sleep as their brain is forced out of deeper stages of sleep to get the body to begin breathing again. When this occurs several times an hour, quality sleep decreases, and a whole slew of medical problems can begin to arise.

While many people may be familiar with the most prevalent form of sleep apnea, obstructive sleep apnea, it often goes unrecognized that there are other types of apneas that a person may be suffering from. Here we aim to shed light on all three of the types of sleep apnea and discuss the symptoms, prevalence, causes, and treatments of each.

At The Alaska Sleep Clinic we have heard just about every excuse possible from patients about why they didn't believe their sleep apnea (or other sleep disorder) was a major cause for concern. Many of these patients didn't realize they had a problem until a loved one showed concern for their sleeping habits. Others weren't convinced serious health problems could result from sleep troubles. And quite a few people were more worried about the cost of having a sleep study than the negative impact that living with a sleep disorder could have on their lives.

Snoring is a condition that affects approximately 90 million Americans. According to the American Sleep Apnea Association, one-third to half of those that snore could be suffering from obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), which is a serious sleep disorder that needs to be treated.

Sleep is an important part of a healthy lifestyle, but most people underestimate just how critical sleep is. Insufficient or poor quality sleep affects day-to-day well-being and increases the risk of developing health problems. Thankfully, it’s in your power to improve your wellness through better sleep.

It’s that time of the year again. Warmer weather and sunny skies beckon all to enjoy the outdoors, from picnics to hikes to even walks around the block just to enjoy this perfect season. Trees are blooming, flowers are popping back up from the ground, birds are chirping – and pollen is running amuck on your sinuses.

Being a mom can be as rewarding as it is difficult. With all the joy comes challenges, such as not getting enough sleep. According to the National Sleep Foundation, 90% of parents believe that sleep is very important in their lives for their own wellbeing and that of their family. But how many moms are getting enough sleep?

When we think about the typical sleep apnea patient, we often picture a heavyset man over forty years old with a thick neck and an earth-rattling snore. And while this image often does fit the profile of a sleep apnea patient, it by no means represents a complete picture of the demographic of sleep apnea sufferers.

Contrary to popular belief, sleep apnea patients come in all shapes, sizes, races, genders, and can even have symptoms atypical of those common for sleep apnea. For instance, not all sleep apnea sufferers snore, many are not obese or even overweight, and not all of them are male.

Here we discuss the prevalence of sleep apnea in women and why they are often an under-diagnosed and under-served population suffering from this sleep disorder.

According to the American Academy of Ophthalmology, there are ocular signs that an Ophthalmologist can see which could indicate that you have obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). 

As we know, OSA can be a deadly health disorder where during sleep your breathing stops periodically during the night. These lapses in breathing can occur for up to ten seconds or more and can happen hundreds of times a night. 

OSA appears to be an aggravating factor in the following 5 ocular complications:

No one needs to tell you twice – when you’re pregnant, you’re tired.  All the time.  And there’s no better time to justify hitting the snooze button one or five more times.