From Spotlight on Health May/June 2008

Thanks to her husband ratting her out, Cindy Johnson, 50, of Dassel, now can look forward to getting a good night’s sleep.

It all started at a routine physical this January when her doctor discovered that Cindy’s blood
pressure was abnormally high. While discussing her health, her husband, Ron, informed the doctor that Cindy snored horribly and sometimes stopped breathing while asleep.

Cindy knew that her snoring had gotten worse. She even suspected sleep apnea, a condition in which breathing stops briefly during sleep. While recovering after surgery, once in 2001 and again in 2002, her oxygen levels dropped. It was recommended Cindy be tested for sleep apnea, but at the time she didn’t see it as important.

“I didn’t realize the ramifications of not getting treated,” Cindy said.

Sleep problems have been linked to high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease and congestive heart failure.

What she did notice was the lack of energy.

“Snoring woke me up at night. In the morning I was still tired and my throat hurt,” Cindy said. “At a previous desk job, where there were long stretches of sitting, I struggled to stay awake.”

Cindy is not alone; more than 100 million Americans of all ages regularly fail to get a good night’s sleep.

After learning of Cindy’s sleep issues, her physician ordered a sleep test at the St. Cloud Hospital Sleep Center. Cindy’s test came back positive for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), which typically occurs when the breathing passage narrows significantly and causes breathing difficulty. This can happen hundreds of times per night. To treat her OSA, Cindy was fitted with a mask to force air into her nose while sleeping. Other treatment options include surgery or use of oral appliances, which keep the airway open by holding the tongue or jaw forward.

Fortunately for Cindy, she caught her problem in the early stages. Now, both she and her husband can rest easy.

Warning signs of sleep apnea:
Loud, frequent snoring
A pattern of snoring interrupted by pauses, then gasps
Excessive daytime sleepiness
Trouble concentrating, or becoming forgetful, irritable, anxious or depressed
Morning headaches or nausea

Learn more about the St. Cloud Hospital Sleep Center.