Sound Sleep Guide

Archive for April, 2008

The most common form of sleep apnea is obstructive sleep apnea. To date, researchers and healthcare professionals have not come to a single conclusion about the exact cause of obstructive sleep apnea. The soft palate is the most affected region of obstruction for most of the individuals having obstructive sleep apnea. It occurs as a result of muscle relaxation to a certain degree when the air passage gets fully collapsed and turns out to be obstructed.

The Period of Interrupted Sleep

When the airway collapses and breathing stops, the person will wake up because the airway is obstructed. Being awake generally only happens for a few seconds and then the person goes back to sleep. This constant disruption stops the person from reaching a deep sleep known as REM or Rapid Eye Movement. This level is needed to help our bodies rejuvenate and defend against psychological and physical health conditions.

Possible Risk Factors

Being obese or overweight can be harmful for anyone. So also is obstructive sleep apnea. One of the main causes of obstructive sleep apnea is obesity. It generally happens because of the buildup of extra fat on the sides of the airway resulting in it becoming narrower, especially when the muscles relax. Age is another risk factor of obstructive sleep apnea because aging means reduced muscle mass.

Indications, Signs and Complications

The major signs and symptoms of obstructive sleep apnea stem from disturbance in the normal sleep pattern. The recurrent arousal and inability to reach deep sleep may lead to daytime sleepiness, irritation, anxiety, changes in personality and behavior, memory impairment, depression and many others. In addition, it also contributes to drowsy drive syndrome, which results in an increasing risk for automobile accidents. Lack of oxygen supply puts serious threat over cardiovascular system and increases the risk of congestive heart failure and stroke.

Medical Treatments

There is a wide variety of treatment methods available to treat obstructive sleep apnea. The first attempt includes weight reduction. It can be followed by positive pressure therapy, positional therapy, surgical interventions and using oral appliances. The positive pressure therapy has three components, namely, continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP), bi-level positive airway pressure (BPAP) and autotitration. Positional therapy is based on the assumption that specific positioning may help the patient get out of the problem of snoring or shortness of breath.

Do not despair if you’ve been experiencing some inability to sleep because there already are cures for insomnia. You can choose from medical treatments to alternative treatments, whichever one works for you. However, before you have yourself counseled by a medical doctor, try to review your sleeping habits first.

Insomnia is a common medical sleeping disorder which refers to the difficulty of sleeping. It pertains to the difficulty of falling to sleep, difficulty of maintaining sleep, and difficulty to have quality sleep. Cures for insomnia are relatively connected to the alleviation of stress and improvement of sleeping habits.

Probably the most popular among the known cures for insomnia is the sleeping pill. Although these pills are effective, there are many harmful bodily effects when taken aplenty. There have been a large number of reported deaths due to the abuse of these pills.

Since sleeping is a mental activity, other cures for insomnia target the proper programming of the mind when it comes to sleep. This is known as the psychological approach. Included in the psychological approach to treating insomnia is the relaxation and stress management technique.

If you know how to relax yourself, onset of sleep will come much easier. Similarly, if you are under a lot of stress, boosting your mental resistance to such stressors can help in bringing the onset of sleep. There are many techniques for you to try when opting for relaxation and stress management to cure your insomnia. One important rule in this technique is to never bring your stressors to bed with you.

Another psychological approach to treating insomnia is through cognitive behavioral therapy where your perception of sleep is reconditioned. The stimulus control therapy will help you associate your bed and bedroom for sleeping only. The paradoxical intention therapy will help you stay awake in times of sleepless nights. This way your mind won’t be preoccupied with the fear of not being able to sleep. Lastly, the sleep restriction therapy will try to reduce your non-sleeping time in bed and increase your sleeping time in bed.

Alternative cures for insomnia involve consumption of foods which help promote sleep. Tryptophan-containing food such as milk will help induce sleep. Carbohydrate-rich food stimulates serotonin production to also help going to sleep. Foods to avoid include apples and caffeine-rich foods and beverages.

Take a look at my health blog for more information on the cures for insomnia and other interesting health topics you may find useful.

Sleep apnea can cause a variety of medical problems, but it’s also been shown to result in psychological ones as well. When the normal and continuous flow of oxygen is interrupted during sleep, the brain is deprived of this vital element and the person can experience debilitating effects. Understanding this condition and recognizing the psychological symptoms that accompany sleep apnea can lead to the proper treatment and a complete relief.

Why is Sleep Apnea Dangerous?

Sleep apnea is a very common disorder but many may not know that they have it. Basically, a person can stop breathing while sleeping. Muscles in the throat can relax too much and narrow or even close for a short period of time. The tongue can also fall back across the airway while sleeping also affecting breathing.

In the end, the same result happens: the brain losses much needed oxygen which can lead to other problems. Snoring can also be present in a person with sleep apnea. This could be the brain alerting the sleeper that the airway is blocked. The person may wake from the sound of their snoring and then change their sleeping position. You may decrease the episodes by sleeping on your side instead of your back.

Psychological Aspects of Sleep Apnea

While there are many physical issues that result from sleep apnea, the psychological ones may be subtler to recognize and accurately diagnose. The first aspect we see in this condition is that the person does not receive a restful night’s sleep. The body requires a certain amount of sleep to restore, repair and recharge the body’s major organs right down to the cellular level.

A person can be exhausted without this in the morning. Drowsiness during the day is present and an intense desire to sleep will stay throughout the day. Frustration and irritability will follow as the person tries to stay awake to perform daily duties. Also there can be problems with concentration and memory loss. Depression can be the ultimate combination of these emotions. A person may feel like they are losing their mind and be unable to focus.

They may only want to spend their day in bed to catch up on the rest they think they need but in reality what they should be doing is getting the treatment for their sleep disorder. In extreme cases, thoughts of suicide may come from sleep apnea. The quality and purpose of ones life will decline if there is oxygen deprivation night after night. Anti-depressant drugs are non effective in these situations as the medical condition of sleep apnea needs to be diagnosed and treated first.