A restless sleep at night: Is sleep apnea a disability?

Many people ask is sleep apnea a disability? If a person has this condition, they can suffer from the difficulty of sleeping, troubled breathing and may also snore. This article will discuss sleep apnea and the treatment options available for it. You can explore more on sleep apnea using this link. 

What is sleep apnea? 

Sleep apnea is a condition that affects how a person can breathe during sleep. If a person suffers from sleep apnea, their breathing stops repeatedly during sleep. The causes for the stopping in breath are because the throat gets blocked because of collapsed tissue that causes a blockage in the airway. People who suffer from sleep apnea would often wake up multiple times in the night because they are unable to breathe. Some people who do not wake up would end up snoring.

Is it considered a disability?

There are a few guidelines that a person has to meet before they can qualify for a disability benefit with sleep apnea. 

Sleep-related breathing disorders. This part of the criteria means that you have to meet a certain number for pulmonary artery pressure to qualify for disability. If your sleep apnea causes you to have a pulmonary artery pressure of more than 40 mm Hg, you can qualify for disability. 

Chronic pulmonary disease. This is one of the diseases that is caused by the obstruction of the airway. If you are diagnosed with chronic pulmonary disease because of your sleep apnea, you can also apply for disability benefits.

Mental illness. People who have a difficult time sleeping because of their sleep apnea can also file for disability if they develop a mental illness because of their lack of sleep.

Having sleep apnea alone and not the abovementioned disorders will not classify your particular case of sleep apnea as a disability. To be completely sure about filing for disability, you can talk to your doctor. They usually have an idea of if your case of sleep apnea can make you qualified to file a disability claim or not.

Treatment for sleep apnea

There are many treatments that you can try to get over your sleep apnea. 

CPAP device. CPAP is short for continuous positive airway pressure. It is a device that comes in the form of a mask and would help the person breathe better at night by gently blowing air onto the person’s airway to keep it open as the person sleeps.

Dental appliances. There are dental appliances that can be used to position the jaw in such a way that the person can sleep better at night. These appliances will reposition the jaw and tongue so that air can better flow into the airway as the person sleeps.

Lifestyle changes. A person can also make various lifestyle changes to avoid being woken up by sleep apnea. Losing weight and sleeping on one’s side are good and effective ways to breathe better during sleep.

If you are suffering from sleep apnea, the first thing to do is to speak with your doctor about treatment. They can also discuss with you about filing a disability claim. Your doctor is still the most knowledgeable on this matter and it is wise to go to them for any questions you have about your condition.