When you first begin learning about what’s wrong with your nightly sleep, you may find yourself a bit confused by terms. After all, snoring and sleep apnea both start with the letter “s” and are both disruptive to your ability to snooze soundly through the night. However, as you begin learning more about these sleep disorders, you will find that it becomes easier to remember their similarities and differences. Do you think you’re a master yet? Find out by testing your knowledge – you might even learn a new fact or two.
True-or-False Quiz
- True or False: Only snoring will wake up a significant other – sleep apnea is silent.
- True or False: We can often treat both problems with non-invasive oral appliance therapy.
- True or False: Snoring occurs when your muscles partially relax, resulting in partially blocked air passages. Sleep apnea occurs when muscles completely relax and fully block your airways.
Quiz Answer Key
- False. Both will wake up your partner that is sleeping next to you. During the sleep apnea event, you will wake up making a choking or gasping sound that may even alert your partner that you are suffering from this disorder.
- True. The problem with both of these disorders is that your throat muscles do not remain active – subsequently, your throat tissues are allowed to touch or collapse against one another. Oral appliance therapy works to keep your airways open.
- True. If you suffer from sleep apnea, you may also be a loud snorer because snoring occurs as your muscles begin to relax. However, being a loud snorer does not necessarily signify a deeper problem.
