Women & Sleep

Typical Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) patients are usually men who are overweight and snore loudly with choking or gasping sounds at night.  There are over 20 million American adults suffer with OSA. While obstructive sleep apnea is more common in men, many women suffer from OSA as well.  Men are twice more likely to have sleep apnea than women, but men are diagnosed with the condition almost 8 times more often than women.   Are women with sleep apnea under-diagnosed and misdiagnosed? What are the symptoms and health risk factors of sleep apnea in women? What are the treatment options?
                  Under-diagnosis and misdiagnosis for women with sleep apnea
Women with sleep apnea are often diagnosed for other sleep disorders instead of sleep apnea. According to the Behavioral Sleep Medicine Specialist, Dr. Angie Randazzo, at St. Lukes Sleep Medicine & Research Center, “Women often don’t have the stereotypical body type and don’t always say they are sleepy.  Many will say they are fatigued, leading clinicians to think they have insomnia versus OSA.”
Some of the reasons women are under-diagnosed and misdiagnosed with sleep apnea may be:

• Female patients talk to their general practitioner about their sleep problem instead of a sleep specialist.

Glendora Dentist, Dr. Anna Lee, is a trained dentist in Sleep Apnea.                                       Visit www.glendorasleep.com

• General practitioner has preconceived notions about what and how typical sleep apnea patient should be like. Example: male, overweight, snore loudly.
• Female patients are less likely to report loud, chronic snoring.
• Women’s symptoms are often different, NOT “classic”, and ambiguous

-snoring is usually much lighter
-breathing problems during sleep more subtle

• Female patients report different symptoms than men that may lead to misdiagnosis of other disorders:
• Some of the different, NOT “classic”, ambiguous symptoms:

-fatigue, insomnia, headaches, mood disturbances, anemia, hypochondria, hypothyroidism, fibromyalgia, depression, and menopausal changes
 
Women’s Sleep Apnea and Related Health Issues
A study at UCLA found that the heart rate of women with sleep apnea was less likely to adjust during physical activity than that of men with OSA. Women are more vulnerable to heart conditions.  Other studies found women to be at higher risk of inflammation, hypertension and dementia.
Sleep Apnea is linked an increased risk of serious health problems:

• Heart Disease
• Hypertension
• Stroke
• Type II Diabetes
• Metabolic syndrome
• Abnormal liver function
• Obesity/weight gain
• Asthma
• Acid Reflux

 
                         Women’s Risks for Sleep Apnea

• Sleep apnea increases as women transition through menopause
• Post-menopausal women are 3X more likely to have OSA compared to premenopausal women
• Overweight & obesity
• High blood pressure
• Endocrine disorder
• Polycystic Ovary Syndrome
• Pregnant women

What symptoms, signs or diseases should prompt a woman to consider that she might have OSA?

• Difficulty maintaining sleep, un-refreshing sleep
• Chronic fatigue
• Lack of energy
• Snoring
• Frequent nighttime urination
• Awakening gasping
• Daytime sleepiness
• Awakening with a headache, or edema (swelling) of the feet, or dry throat in the morning

                               Individualized Diagnosis & Treatment Options
There are different factors that may contribute to sleep apnea.  Treatment options vary based on the individual needs. Women of all ages can suffer from Obstructive Sleep Apnea. 
Some treatment options:

• CPAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure) machines: severe sleep apnea
• Oral Appliance Therapy: mild to moderate sleep apnea
• Lifestyle changes: lose weight, quit smoking, avoid alcohol, avoid caffeine, exercise regularly
• Surgery

Obstructive Sleep Apnea is a serious medical problem for men and women of any age.  If you are experiencing any of the symptoms of sleep apnea, contact Glendora dentist, Dr. Anna Lee.  She is a trained dentist in sleep apnea who can assist you with treatment. For more information, please visit our sleep website at www.glendorasleep.com or call office at 626-335-5114 for a FREE Sleep Apnea Consultation.