How to be Supportive of Your Partner with Sleep Apnea
The thing with having sleep apnea is that even your partner may be as sleep-deprived as you are. Keep in mind that sleep apnea affects more than the sufferer. No matter who’s diagnosed with sleep apnea, it’s essential to be supportive of the other. Communication, as well as understanding the effects of sleep apnea and how you’ll be able to treat it, will help both of you sleep better. With that in mind, here are some things to consider if your partner has sleep apnea.
Understanding Sleep Apnea
Sleep Apnea is a sleep disorder in which a person’s breathing stops and starts repeatedly during sleep. There are 3 main types of sleep apnea:
- Obstructive Sleep Apnea
You have probably heard of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) more than the other types. This is the most common form of sleep apnea wherein the muscles in the back of your throat relax. As a result, your airways tend to close up when you breathe in.
- Central Sleep Apnea
This type of sleep apnea is less common and occurs when your brain fails to send signals to your breathing muscles. If you have central sleep apnea, you may often wake up in the middle of your sleep gasping for air.
- Complex Sleep Apnea Syndrome
Complex sleep apnea syndrome, which is also referred to as treat-emergent central sleep apnea, is a condition when the person has both obstructive sleep apnea and central sleep apnea.