Snoring may be annoying, but clue to more serious problems

Snoring is annoying, but may also signal a serious sleep condition.

The next session of the Welcome to Wellness health series, "Snoring Is No Laughing Matter," is from 7-8 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 21 at the
Baptist East/Milestone Wellness Center, 750 Cypress Station Drive.

Pulmonologist Kenneth Anderson, M.D., and Mala LaCaze, coordinator of the Baptist Hospital East Sleep Disorders Center, will illustrate how snoring may be associated with sleep apnea and significantly impact sleep quality. Participants will learn to become aware of their sleep patterns so they are able to identify sleep conditions that need attention.

Sleep apnea is a condition in which breathing stops due to excessive relaxation of the throat. Interruption in breathing can occur as frequently as hundreds of times per night. It is often accompanied by loud and excessive snoring and is known to cause personality changes, morning headaches, hypertension and irregular heart rhythms.

Sleep apnea is surprisingly common and can become serious if undiagnosed. Luckily, there are many treatment options that bring relief to suffering. The most common treatment uses a Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) unit that helps open the nasal airway and deliver air through a small nose mask during sleep. Other options include surgery and dental devices.

About 40 million Americans are chronically ill with sleep disorders and more than 95 percent are believed to go undiagnosed and untreated, according to the National Commission on Sleep Disorders Research.

The talk is free. For more information, or to register, contact the Baptist Hospital East Information Center by phone at (502) 897-8131 or by e-mail at BHEInfoCenter@bhsi.com.