Sleep apnea, like snoring are amongst the litany of things that emerge as we get older. Snoring is particularly common in women at midlife, and especially for those who are of shorter stature and overweight. The extra weight often leads to a build up of fat around the neck, which in turn leads to snoring. Women also tend to develop a tendency to have their tongue fall backwards as they sleep, which again leads to snoring, but this can be easily helped with a plastic insert that you put in your mouth which changes your jaw position.

Snoring not only wakes the snorer, but disturbs sleep partners. It also tends to happen as we first drift down into sleep, disrupting REM sleep so we feel less refreshed in the morning.

Progesterone also protects women against sleep apnea, so as we enter peri-menopause this protection diminishes until men and women become equally likely to suffer from sleep apnea. Again, it sounds like snoring, but is characterized by sudden stops in snoring or breathing followed by a sudden gulping of air as the body struggles for oxygen.

Sleep apnea can be dangerous, so if you suspect – or have been told – that you often waken in this way, please get a sleep study to find out if it is sleep apnea. The study is more intriguing than scary, and if you have sleep apnea and then get a CPAP machine, you will be astonished how much better you begin to feel.

Another night time sleep disturber is restless leg syndrome. The occurrence of RLS increases with age, and often means it is more difficult to get to sleep. The sensation of twitching legs keeps bringing the sufferer back to consciousness. RLS is often lessened with the diagnosis and treatment of sleep apnea, so if you suspect you may have sleep apnea and RLS, you may get help for both from your sleep study. Sleep is so crucial to our mental and physical health, that we owe it to ourselves to get the help necessary to stop snoring, treat sleep apnea and RLS to get the restful sleep we so need.