Questions for your health

Do you wake up refreshed in the morning, ready to go or do you use the snooze option on your alarm:

Do you have a hard time waking up after seven or so hours of sleep?

Do you need coffee or soda with caffeine in the morning to get “jump started” and also during the day — especially in the late afternoon?

Do you use energy drinks to stay on top of things?

Do you feel exhausted in the afternoon?

Do you take naps in the afternoon?

Do you have a stuffy or runny nose all the time?

Do you wake up at night choking, gasping for air, or in a state of panic?

Do you wake up often at night?

Do you dream and if so, are they vivid?

Do you have to get up and go to the bathroom multiple times during the night, even though you haven’t had a lot to drink before bedtime?

Do you have trouble falling asleep?

Do you have trouble getting back to sleep after you awaken at night?

Do you have to take sleeping pills to get to sleep?

Do you have high blood pressure?

Have you had a stroke, a heart attack, or cancer?

Have you gained weight and now have trouble losing it?

Do you sometimes just feel depressed?

Do you have memory problems?

Do you have reflux?

Do you blame it on age (senior moments), genetics (your parents), or stress? There is a simple test you can take to determine if obstructive sleep apnea is the cause of your problem. The test can be done in your own home overnight so you can get the results right away. And if your symptoms are from obstructive sleep apnea, you can get it treated right away! Untreated obstructive sleep apnea will rob you of an average of 8-10 years of your life. And the treatment doesn’t have to involve a mask or a machine!

This test, known as a home sleep test, will show your apnea-hypopnea index (AHI). This is the number of times per hour that you stop breathing. If your index is 30 events per hour and each event is for an average of 20 seconds, this indicates that you are not breathing for 10 minutes each hour. And if you are sleeping for 7 hours, this is one hour and 10 minutes that you are not breathing. That has to have some health effects for sure!

•••

Dr. Donald Johnson founded Northwest Treatment Center for Snoring & Sleep Apnea in Coeur d’Alene to help patients stop their snoring and live free with no limits! Obstructive sleep apnea is usually able to be treated with a small oral appliance. Dr. Johnson’s office is at 114 W. Neider Ave., near Costco. The website for more information is www.NWSleepDoc.com and the office phone is (208) 667-4551. Schedule a free consultation appointment today!