Archive for the ‘Sleep Apnea’ Category
A contemporary study indicates clearly that a person would die much faster due to lack of sleep, rather than any other deprivation (food, water, basic sanitation, etc). So, it is very important that you don’t take any sleep problem lightly.
Learn The Correct Way To Fall Asleep
Sleep apnea is a very serious disease; one that’s responsible for millions of deaths globally. Though this affliction has a prescribed treatment and medication, a natural cure would always be greater and easier to adopt. It is not necessary that whenever there’s a sleep problem there is sleep apnea.
For everyone, there are many traditional ways to use to induce sleep. Few of these are described hereunder quickly. Try them all and see whether it helps the sleep problem you have. In case it does not, then you consider checking with your physician for in depth check up and necessary medication.
First you need to learn to de-clutter your mind before going to bed to bed. Whatever happened during the day has happened; what will happen tomorrow is yet to come. Thus, you need to clear everything from your mind while sleeping. The best would be to learn few meditation techniques and practice these prior to sleep so you could calm your mind.
Second, if you ever find that you are unable to fall asleep, stop trying to push yourself to sleep. Get up from the bed quickly, make yourself a hot cup of tea, milk or hot chocolate – not coffee – and do something you like and has you relaxed. Don’t read ghost stories and see action or horror films.
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Tags: Child Sleep Apnea Can Cause Substantially Lower IQ Scores
Despite the fact that we have known for a long time now that children who have sleep apnea generally display relatively low scores on IQ tests (typically scoring an average of 85 against a score of 101 for children who are not suffering from sleep apnea) one thing that we have have not known until recently is that this arises out of chemical changes within the brain. In other words an otherwise clever kid could well produce an average performance as a result of nothing more than a sleeping problem which, in almost all cases, can be treated fairly easily.
In a recent study undertaken in Baltimore, 31 kids aged between 6 and 16 (19 of whom had been diagnosed with severe sleep apnea) were examined with a special form or MRI and it was found that the children suffering from sleep apnea had important changes in both the hippocampus and right frontal cortex which are parts of the brain which are linked to learning and higher mental function.
The same study also showed that these children were suffering from levels of three brain chemicals which indicated brain damage. This change to the chemistry of the brain brought about by leep apnea may or may not be permanent and, at this point, additional studies are required to see whether this effect can be reversed.
Even if reversal is possible however and the chemistry of the brain and cognitive function can be returned to normal, kids with sleep apnea are going to suffer a loss in learning as long as they are suffering from untreated sleep apnea and they certainly cannot rewind time and regain this learning period.
Parents should of course already be looking out for the signs of sleep apnea in their kids and this study clearly shows that early diagnosis and treatment of this sleep disorder may have a very considerable affect on a child’s success in life.
There are many signs of sleep apnea including frequent pauses in breathing during sleep which frequently result in an arousal from sleep and tossing and turning in bed. Children can also display loud or labored breathing, snoring, gasping, coughing and, sometimes, bedwetting at an age when should normally have passed.
Parents can also observe a child sleeping in a strange position, possible with their bottom sticking up in the air and with their head tilted backwards in an unconscious effort to keep their airway clear.
In most cases child sleep apnea can be treated by removing the tonsils and adenoids, or excess tissue from the back of the throat or nose. In addition, a CPAP machine may also be employed to give the child an airflow delivered using a mask that is worn during sleep to keep the airway open.
In itself sleep apnea is incapacitating for any child and the effect of nights of inadequate sleep are going to take their toll on your child. But, when this is combined with an impairment of your child’s IQ, it is essential that you act at the earliest possible opportunity to have the condition diagnosed and treated.
If you suffer from sleep apnea, you need to be aware of the risks of anesthesia. While there are many real and potentially serious concerns, the negative effects of anesthesia can be minimized or even eliminated with the proper procedures and careful monitoring.
What Should I Do?
If you need surgery, it’s important to make sure that the anesthesiologist is aware of your condition. Certain precautionary measures would have to be taken to insure that breathing difficulties will not jeopardize your time under anesthesia. In obstructive sleep apnea, the throat muscles relax, thereby closing or narrowing the airway. This, in turn, interrupts the normal flow of oxygen to the lungs, which affects the brain.
The brain will sense the reduced lack of oxygen and will signal you to wake up. When you are under anesthesia, this is not possible. Being under anesthesia also contributes to more interrupted breathing spells. When an anesthesiologist has a patient with sleep apnea, he will take special care to keep airways open. Close monitoring is kept on the patient in surgery and in the recovery room.
Side effects from anesthesia can linger for hours after surgery so constant care is given to the patient during this time. A Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) machine may be used to ensure the airways remain open for an even, continuous flow of oxygen. Generally as the body adjusts to the medications given for surgery, the immediate dangers will pass. In some severe cases, mechanical ventilation may need to be given.
Should I Cancel My Surgery?
Theres no reason to cancel a surgery because of potential problems as long as youve made your medical personnel aware of your sleep apnea disorder. This will allow them to plan for the monitoring needed during surgery and immediately afterward.
It should be noted that many times people are not aware that they have sleep apnea, which can cause complications in surgery. If you are not sure you have this condition, or if you suspect that you do, a few simple questions may lead you to an answer. Do you snore? Do you feel tired and groggy in the mornings? Do you fall asleep during the day? If you can answer “yes” to these questions, perhaps you should speak to your doctor about the possibility of sleep apnea. Diagnosing sleep apnea before having anesthesia is a crucial first step to your total recovery.