Sound Sleep Guide

Posts Tagged ‘Sleep Apnea’

Sleep apnea is just one of several common sleep disorders and the most widespread form of sleep apnea is known as obstructive sleep apnea and is a condition marked by periods in which breathing ceases while sleeping. On occasions this disorder is called obstructive sleep apnea syndrome or sleep apnea syndrome.

In healthy people the muscles which work the upper part of the throat ensure that the air flow in and out of the lungs is steady and continuous. During sleep these muscles relax a little but still do their job properly. However those people who have sleep apnea often have airways which are narrowed so that when the throat muscles relax the airway partially or completely closes thereby no longer allowing for the passage of air to the lungs. Snoring and labored breathing resulting in a sleep apnea episode will then result.

In some individuals breathing can also cease completely during periods of deep (or REM) sleep and medical experts and researchers are nor clear about just why this happens. These periods during which breathing ceases can last for ten seconds or more in severe cases and are referred to as apneic events or sleep apnea episodes.

These apneic events result in a degree of awareness that you have ceases breathing and you subsequently struggle to breath again which is normally accompanied by choking, gasping or even snorting.

Thereafter it is normal to settle into a period of light sleep before the cycle of sleep apnea episodes starts again.

The effect is that an individual suffers from fragmented sleep which does not allow them the amount of rest that they require on a nightly basis. This in turn leads to a number of health problems including excessive daytime tiredness. One of the reasons for this daytime symptom is simply that the level of oxygen in the blood stream falls tremendously during an apneic event leading to a condition known as hypoxia.

It is most important to realize that a lot of individuals with sleep apnea are unaware that they have a problem and often it must be left to others to point out the problem. Sufferers are generally aware of being very tired throughout the day but do not always know why this is so.

The commonest warning signs of sleep apnea include loud snoring, waking in the morning and still feeling tired, headaches in the morning, problems with memory, alterations in personality, falling asleep at inopportune times, hypertension, excessive levels of activity (in children only) and swelling of the legs in severe cases. The symptoms ought not to be disregarded because the danger of sleep apnea is very real.

The first step in diagnosing sleep apnea ought to a visit to the doctor who will read through your medical history and examine your mouth, throat and neck for signs of any growths or abnormalities. If your doctor suspects that you have sleep apnea he will refer you for a sleep study and what is called a polysomnogram (or PSG). This test records eye movement, brain waves, breathing rate, muscle activity, oxygen levels in the blood, heart rate and the quantity of air that is being both exhaled and inhaled during sleep.

Sleep apnea is an all too common sleep disorder which frequently goes unrecognized but which can be very dangerous and which can also normally be effectively treated.

Have you heard of the condition called sleep apnea?  Has your doctor told you that you have this condition?  If so you need to address it immediately as it is very dangerous and in extreme cases can even be deadly.

The term “apnea” refers to a cessation of breathing.  Swimmers practice static apnea, meaning holding their breath for longer periods of time.  If you have sleap apnea, you stop breathing while you sleep.  Normally, this would last for only a few seconds, the body is able to protect itself from this type of problem with all of its safeguards.  If a person with sleep apnea stops breathing during the night the body will typically trigger reactions to get it breathing again.  But usually this involves actually waking up if even for a few seconds so breathing can be started.  The sufferer may not even realize that he or she is waking up during the night and so when they get up the next day and are still very tired, they don’t understand why that is.  In reality those who have extreme cases of sleap apnea may wake up several times during the night which means they never get the quality, deep sleep that they need and that’s important for their overall health.  So they go through their day feeling fatigued and rundown and not realizing why. This lack of quality sleep is related to many health problems, including daytime drowsiness, headaches, mood swings and irritability, and a buildup of toxins in the blood.  Because the body actually stops breathing, even momentarily, sleep apnea can also cause brain damage because the brain is not supposed to go without oxygen for any length of time, even those few moment.~Sleep apnea can also cause brain damage because the brain is not supposed to go without oxygen for any length of time, even those few moment,because the body actually stops breathing, even momentarily.  In some cases a patient has not been able to wake up in order to get themselves breathing again and this has resulted in death.

You may dismiss sleap apnea as a mere annoyance but in reality it’s a very serious condition and one that should be addressed as soon as possible.  A doctor can perform a physical exam and give recommendations for treating your own case of sleep apnea and in some cases a CPAP machine might be recommended to keep oxygen coming into the body on a regular basis.It may be time to do something about an obesity problem if it is this that is causing your condition. It could be that you just need to shift some excess weight.

You may be one of the many people who have heard of sleep apnea and are wondering what exactly the signs are. Sleep apnea is becoming more and more common these days and it’s not a minor inconvenience that should be ignored. Sleep apnea, if ignored, can cause toxins in the blood to build up until you run the risk of damage to muscles and organs – the brain included. So, if you think there is a chance that you have sleep apnea what should you do about it?

Firstly, when asking what the signs of signs of sleep apnea are remember that just because you have restless nights when you keep waking up it does not mean that you have sleep apnea. You could be waking up because you’ve drunk too much coffee, you’re under stress or even simply because of a lack of exercise. So what’s the difference between sleep apnea and just general problems sleeping?

Drowsiness during the day, irritability and mood swings, chronic headaches, muscle aches, sore throat and neck stiffness in the morning are all symptoms of sleep apnea. During the night, choking, gasping, wheezing, and loud snoring are also symptoms. Symptoms such as these can be particularly significant to sleepapnes because they area sign that the body has breathing problems during sleep. You have to be aware of both night and day symptoms. Sometimes people can have chronic headaches for a variety of reasons or may be experiencing mood swings and irritability due to hormones, stress, problems on the job or with one’s personal life, and so on. However, gasping, choking, wheezing, and loud snoring during the night are almost always signs of sleep apnea.

Anyway sleep apnea should not be self-diagnosed so if you suspect you might have it then you must really visit your doctor. Sleep apnea, in the worst cases can be deadly, so take any fears seriously and get yourself checked out.