Många människor lider av sömnapné, även om de inte ens vet det.
Det vanligaste inslaget av sömnapné, förutom att bränna en god natts sömn, har sömnapné också potential för allvarligare hälsorisker.
Om du har sömnapné har du troligen blivit föreslagen av din läkare att bära din CPAP.
För många som är klaustrofobiska eller har olika intoleranser mot en CPAP-maskin rekommenderas ibland en tandvårdsapparat.
Dessa enheter används ofta främst för mer måttliga fall av sömnapné och för dem som inte är överviktiga.
Sömnapné var en gång mest förknippad med snarkning, men det är knappast den enda anledningen till oro.
Sömnapné är faktiskt ett medicinskt tillstånd som kan påverka den allmänna hälsan och livslängden.
Eftersom det syftar på andningssvårigheter när du sover, kan sömnapné orsaka en minskning av syrehalten i blodomloppet.
Sömnapné leder till dåsighet under dagtid.
Den dåsighet kan orsaka bilolyckor, vilket i sig är en riskfaktor för livförsäkring.
Men av större oro är sannolikheten att sömnapné kan orsaka lungskador, kardiovaskulära problem och högt blodtryck, stroke eller hjärtsvikt – om de lämnas obehandlade är alla högriskfaktorer för livförsäkring.
Det finns också bevis på att sömnapné ökar risken för depression.
Olika studier har visat att sömnapné orsakar en signifikant ökning av förekomsten av cancer.
Sömnapné kan orsakas av en obstruktion av de övre luftvägarna, men det kan också vara resultatet av hjärnans oförmåga att korrekt reglera andningen.
Fetma och cigarettrökning är också vanliga orsaker.
Sömnapné är vanligare hos män, och förekomsten ökar med åldern.
Och även om det är vanligare hos personer över 40 år, kan det också drabba barn.
Det finns också en indikation på att sömnapné kan vara genetisk.
Det finns två typer av sömnapné:
Den första är obstruktiv sömnapné eller OSA. Det orsakas av en blockering av luftvägarna.
Den mjuka vävnaden på baksidan av halsen kollapsar under sömnen.
OSA är den vanligaste formen av sömnapné.
Den andra är central sömnapné .
Det orsakas inte av en blockerad luftväg, utan av att hjärnan inte signalerar till musklerna att andas.
Detta misslyckande beror på instabilitet i hjärnans andningskontrollcenter.
Central sömnapné är i allmänhet den allvarligaste av de två.
Annonser efter pengar. Vi kan få kompensation om du klickar på den här annonsen.Annons
Med en livförsäkring kan du ta hand om din familj på rätt sätt. Skulle något hända dig, kommer du att vilja ge dina nära och kära ett ekonomiskt ägg för deras välbefinnande. Klicka på ditt tillstånd för att ta reda på mer. Get Started If obesity is a contributing factor, the most obvious treatment is weight loss.
Sleep apnea can also be alleviated by proper sleeping position.
For example, if you have the condition, it’s best to avoid sleeping on your back .
Smoking is also a factor since it has a negative impact on the respiratory system in general.
Eliminating smoking can improve overall breathing function, reducing the symptoms of sleep apnea, and can also lower your rates as life insurance for smokers can be costly.
Excess alcohol consumption has also been linked to sleep apnea, and a reduction in consumption is strongly recommended.
With obstructive sleep apnea, there are a variety of causes for a blockage.
These can include having large tonsils, a large tongue, a small jawbone, or even a large neck size.
It could also be the result of a nasal obstruction, sinus problems, allergies, or a deviated septum.
It’s possible that sinus problems or allergies can be treated medically.
And of course, tonsils and a deviated septum can be surgically repaired.
The most specific treatment for sleep apnea is a machine known as a continuous positive airway pressure machine, better known as a CPAP.
The system uses an air pump connected to a mask worn over the face. It provides airflow during inhalation to prevent the airway from collapsing.
A CPAP not only relieves the symptoms of sleep apnea, like difficulty breathing and snoring, but it enables the user to get a deep and restful sleep.
It is this absence of sleep that causes health conditions, including drowsiness and hypertension.
The unit takes some getting used to but generally produces very positive results in dealing with the condition.
For some, use of a CPAP may be a temporary measure until other efforts, like quitting smoking and losing weight, take effect.
But for others, use can become permanent.
When getting approved term life insurance with sleep apnea, the first thing that the insurance company will want to know is are you wearing your CPAP on a regular basis. They’re also going to want to see the results of wearing your CPAP, also known as a sleep study.
FYI, I read of a case where an individual was diagnosed with sleep apnea many years ago but never saw enough extreme symptoms to do anything about it. When applying for life insurance it came back on her APS and Banner Life Insurance Company immediately wanted to see a sleep study before they were able to proceed. But the sleep study was not covered by the insurance company, so it was rather pricey at around $1500. Turns out that they were able to do a home sleep study at a reduced cost, and asked if their doctor would sign off on it. (They ordered the sleep study kit online). Sure enough they would, and they saved well over $1000 in doing so.
The first thing they had to realize regarding insurance companies is that certain carriers are much more aggressive in writing certain conditions; this is common among all high -risk life insurance . If you got a quote from a carrier and it seems rather high, it’s best to shop around to make sure that you explored all options. In working with over 60 of the top life insurance companies, that’s what we do for our clients.
To ensure that we get you partnered with the right insurance company, we typically will ask several questions regarding your sleep apnea to make sure that we uncover all the facts.
Here’s a quick rundown of the questions that we ask before we try to find you the best rate with the best carrier.
Sleep apnea can be indicated by loud snoring, waking repeatedly, drowsiness, lack of energy during the day, morning headaches, or a sore throat.
The final determination is made by a specific medical test.
If you show symptoms of sleep apnea, you’ll be given a polysomnogram, more commonly known as a sleep study.
At one time, sleep studies were done at sleep disorder centers.
But as technology has improved, a sleep apnea test can now be done at home!
You wear an electronic device – generally on your hip – that’s connected to your face.
It electronically transmits and records your physical activity while you sleep.
The results are then analyzed by a sleep specialist.
This test will determine not only the existence of sleep apnea, but also the degree of the condition.
If you have a mild level of sleep apnea with no related health conditions, you may get only a slight increase in your insurance premium.
With certain insurance companies, it’s even possible that you’ll get a preferred rate.
Naturally, you’ll need to be a non-smoker with no other health-related conditions.
If the condition is more serious, you may still get an approval, but it will come with a much higher premium.
It’s even possible the amount of your death benefit will be approved at less than the amount requested.
The type of sleep apnea you have is also a factor.
OSA is not only the more common form, but it’s also more treatable.
You’re more likely to be approved and at better rates than if you have central sleep apnea.
1. Please provide date of diagnosis.
2. Has the sleep apnea been diagnosed as obstructive, central, mix, or unknown?
3. Has the severity of the sleep apnea been stable, increasing, decreasing, fluctuating up and down, or unknown?
4. Has an overnight sleep study; polysomnogram been done? No. Yes. If yes, what date? What was the sleep apnea index? What was the oxygen saturation percentage?
5. How is sleep apnea being treated? No treatment. Medicated. Weight loss. CPAP mask. Surgery (UPPP). Surgery (Tracheotomy). Other.
6. Does the proposed insured have any of the following:Overweight. Arrhythmia. Coronary artery disease. Stroke. Depression. Lung disease. Other.
7. Does the proposed insured use any alcohol? If yes, please describe usage.
8. Does the proposed insured use any medications for any reason?
As with most high risk conditions, people are expected to pay more for their life insurance premium if they suffered from sleep apnea. With several companies being more aggressive in their underwriting, it’s actually possible to get approved for preferred (sometimes preferred best) even if you have sleep apnea.
How exactly? The key is demonstrating to the underwriter that your sleep apnea is controlled and you’re taking all the necessary steps to treat it.
If you can demonstrate that and you have no other conditions, then you, too, can enjoy cheap term life insurance .
Recently we had a guy call in that was looking for a 30-year term life insurance policy. His only issue was that he had sleep apnea. He had been diagnosed with mild obstructive sleep apnea almost 4 years ago. He has not had any problems since his diagnosis because he was put on a CPAP machine. His local agent had no experience insuring anyone with sleep apnea. He was unaware of which carriers were more aggressive when it comes to underwriting sleep apnea as well. We were able to get him approved at a Preferred rating from Transamerica.
Actually, yes, in some cases. We have pinpointed a carrier that can offer up to Preferred Best on permanent products for clients with a history of sleep apnea . Obviously, not all cases will qualify, so what makes the difference between a Preferred Best sleep apnea case and one that may end up Standard or worse? Two words:compliance and control.
Like most impairments, the carrier’s willingness and ability to make a great offer on a sleep apnea case will depend largely on the proposed insured’s compliance with their physician’s prescribed course of treatment, as well as the treatment’s actual effectiveness. What could that look like? Consider the following:
Having underwritten an OSA case or two over the years, the big challenge here is the subsequent sleep studies. In the vast majority of cases, the proposed insured fails to return for the recommended follow ups that were the lynchpin of the case described above. The real issue is the documentation of compliance and control. It may not be enough that the proposed insured “uses their CPAP”. Without the subsequent sleep studies to create the paper trail, the underwriter is left with very little choice but to assume that there is still a potential issue, resulting in Standard or worse.
After you complete the initial paperwork for the insurance policy, you have to take a medical exam, unless you have opted to enroll in a no medical exam life insurance policy , which will come with higher premium rates. With the medical exam, they are going to check your basic vitals. The paramedic is going to require a blood sample as well as a urine sample during the medical exam.
To get cheaper life insurance, you need to be in the best health possible.
Start a diet and stick to it. Putting down the junk food and replacing it with veggies, will help you lose weight and lower your cholesterol. A great way to supplement the diet is by getting regular exercise. This will also help you lose weight and lower your heart rate.
Now, let’s talk about those cigarettes. It’s a disgusting habit. If you didn’t know, it’s awful for your health and your wallet. Smokers pay premiums doubled what everyone else pays. Make a choice, cheap life insurance or smoking.
In most cases, sleep apnea is not a serious health condition, but insurance companies might still jack up your rights. Each company has different views on giving insurance to those with sleep apnea.
Find a company who doesn’t put your premiums off the charts because of your apnea. Sure, you could comb through companies to find one who is apnea-favorable, or we can point you in the right direction.
Make sure you speak with an experienced agent today!
