Sleep Apnea - Are you at Risk? Gallery Furniture Can Help

For more than twelve million Americans, night-time is anything but restful.  They suffer from sleep apnea.  That  means they stop breathing while they sleep, often dozens of times in a night and for periods of up to a minute.  Because the symptoms occur during sleep, many people do not know they have sleep apnea.  It is a serious problem.  Sleep apnea has been linked to high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease and impotency.

Sleep apnea is caused by either a blockage of the airway or by the brain failing to signal the lungs to breath during sleep. The sufferer wakes enough to resume breathing. These arousals can happen as many as twenty to thirty times an hour and be as short as a few seconds – most sufferers don’t recognize or remember waking up at all.  But this is plenty of time to disrupt the natural cycle of healthy sleep, causing suffers to miss the critical later stages of sleep. As a result, sleep is often fragmented and of poor quality.

There are many health risks to suffers of sleep apnea. In addition to the problems described above, sleep apnea has been linked to memory problems, weight gain, headaches, job impairment, irritability, loss of energy and focus, motor vehicle crashes, and a nearly 30% increase in the risk of heart attack.

Despite these health risks, awareness remains the single biggest problem associated with sleep apnea. Sleep apnea has recognizable symptoms, but since all of them occur during sleep you can suffer for years without knowing anything is wrong. That’s why Gallery Furniture is dedicated to improving public awareness of sleep apnea. By informing customers in-store and partnering with Houston area sleep centers to provide know-how and specialized bedding, Gallery Furniture has established itself as a leader in the fight for a better nights sleep.

The most common sign of sleep apnea is snoring, but keep in mind that many individuals who don’t suffer from sleep apnea snore as well. The strongest symptom of sleep apnea is if snoring stops. These pauses in breathing typically last between ten and twenty seconds, and will end with a deep gasp as breathing starts once again.

It is also important to know who is at risk. Common risk factors include being male, overweight, over the age of forty, and having a family history of sleep apnea. However, anyone of any age can suffer from sleep apnea.

There are a number of treatments for sleep apnea, from simple lifestyle changes to sleeping aids to medical devices. With over a thousand hours logged at sleep seminars and many follow-ups conducted with customers who have had trouble sleeping, the bedding staff at Gallery Furniture can help find a treatment that is right for you. It may be as simple as avoiding alcohol, smoking and sleeping medication, as these can make it harder for your throat to stay open during sleep. Losing weight and sleeping on your side can also help. Gallery Furniture also has a full line of Tempur-Pedic adjustable beds. These beds can elevate the head and feet of sleep apnea sufferers, which helps to open airways, and are equipped with a rolling massage feature to help facilitate sleep. Gallery Furniture also stocks specially contoured Swedish neck pillows designed to open airways.

For severe suffers, there are a number of medical devices designed to help with sleep, such as the Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) device.  CPAP works by gently blowing pressurized room air through the airway at a pressure high enough to keep the throat open.  In drastic cases, surgery is an option.

If you think you would benefit from a better nights sleep, stop by Gallery Furniture - their experienced bedding staff and partnering sleep centers can help find a sleeping arrangement that works for you.