According to the National Sleep Foundation research, about 18 million of adults are not getting enough sleep because of sleep apnea. Suffering with sleep deprivation will make you feel tired and groggy, which leads to poor productivity at work and even result in bad driving habits. Your bedmate can eventually get tired of your constant moving and breathing irregularities which can cause stress and strain on your relationship and lead to separate bedrooms.
Pauses in breathing while asleep is called sleep apnea or sleep disordered breathing. Most often adults are diagnosed with obstructive apnea, or sleep disordered breathing which is caused by the blockage of the breathing passage by tonsils and adenoids.
Sleep apnea affects you in ways that you couldn't dream of. The vicious circle of sleep apnea starts when a throat is blocked, blood oxygen level falls due to the lack of breath, and a person wakes up gasping for air.
People with sleep apnea often feel tired and sleepy during the day because their sleep quality is affected, as they move out of deep sleep and into light sleep several times during the night. These periods of not breathing, as short as they are, will inevitably wake you up from deep sleep. As a result, you are not getting enough rest from your sleep. Plus, sleep apnea causes a reduction of oxygen in the bloodstream which results in overall deprivation of cellular functions in your body.
If you snore, sleep restlessly, gasp and pause when breathing at sleep, especially during deep sleep, most likely you have sleep apnea. You can detect these symptoms yourself, or most likely you have been told about them by your partner. Sleep apnea is most common in people who are overweight. Men are also more at risk than women. Almost all people who have sleep apnea snore ? at least once during the night. However, not all people who snore have sleep apnea. It's important to check for other sleep apnea symptoms to see if you have this medical condition.
The most common symptoms of sleep apnea are snoring and sleepiness during the day. Other symptoms include:
Restless tossing and turning during sleep.
Nighttime choking
Nighttime sweating
Mild to severe chest pain
Waking tired after sleep
Having problems with memory and concentration
Feeling irritable and nervous
Experiencing personality changes
Morning headaches
Heartburn
Swelling of the legs
Undetected sleep apnea may increase your risk for hypertension, heart attack or stroke, as well as diabetes and work-related and driving accidents. Sleep apnea can also cause brain damage and result in shorter life span.
If sleep apnea is successfully treated and you start sleeping better, you will experience a huge boost of energy. Many people even report having less asthma, they are calmer, with more positive outlook; they have improved stamina and better functioning immune system. So if you suspect you or your partner is suffering with this condition you should speak to your doctor to discuss possible treatment plans.
American Sleep Apnea Association
When sleep is upset throughout the night the next day can be one of fatigue and sleepiness. A person with sleep apnea does not get restful sleep because:
?Brief episodes of increased airway resistance and breathing pauses occur many times throughout the night
?You may experience many brief drops in the oxygen levels in your blood
?Poor sleep quality occurs because you move out of deep sleep and into light sleep several times during the night.
Loud snoring is often a characteristic common to people who have sleep apnea. Not everyone who snores has sleep apnea and there are people with sleep apnea that do not know they snore.
Sleep apnea happen more often in people who are overweight, however thin people can also have the condition. The majority of people with sleep apnea do not know they have it, and they do not know they are having problems breathing while they are asleep. A family member and/or bed partner may notice the signs of sleep apnea first.
An increase in the chance of having blood pressure which can lead to heart attack or stroke is one of the consequences of untreated sleep apnea. Sleep apnea left untreated can also increase the risk of diabetes and the risk for work-related accidents and driving accidents.
There is an estimation of over 12 million American who have obstructive sleep apnea. More than half of these people are overweight and most of them ?snore? heavily. Sleep apnea is more common in men, and is more common in African Americans, Hispanics, and Pacific Islanders than in Caucasians. It tends to run in families as well. It can also occur in children. If your child snores, you should discuss it with your doctor or health care provider.
Common signs and symptoms of sleep apnea include:
?Loud snoring
?Choking or gasping during sleep
?Fighting sleepiness during the day (even at work or while driving)
?Morning headaches
?Memory or learning problems
?Feeling irritable
?Not being able to concentrate on your work
?Mood swings or personality changes
?Feelings of depression
?Dry throat upon awakening
?Frequent urination at night
Treatment of sleep apnea:
The goal of treatment is to restore regular nighttime breathing and relieve symptoms such as very loud snoring and daytime sleepiness. Appropriate treatment will also help the associated problems of high blood pressure and reduce risk for heart attack and stroke.
Tips of self-help for sleep apnea include:
?Avoid alcohol, smoking and or medicines that can make you sleepy.
?Lose weight if you are overweight
?Try sleeping on your side instead of your back.
One of the most common treatments for sleep apnea is continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP). This treatment is wearing a mask over your nose during sleep.
If you snore, treating sleep apnea may help stop snoring, however, this does not mean you no longer have sleep apnea or that you should stop using CPAP. If CPAP is stopped or not used correctly, sleep apnea will return.
Possible side effects of CPAP include:
?Dry or stuffy nose
?Irritation of the skin on your face
?Bloating of your stomach
?Sore eyes
?Headaches
For people who have side effects working with sleep medicine specialists and technicians can help reduce the side effects. Some things that can be done include:
?Use a nasal spray to relieve a dry, stuffy, or runny nose
?Adjust the CPAP settings
?Adjust the size/fit of the mask
?Add moisture to the air as it flows through the mask
?Use a CPAP machine that can automatically adjust the amount of air pressure to the level that is required to keep the airway open
?Use a CPAP machine that will start with low air pressure and slowly increase the air pressure as you fall asleep.
People with severe sleep apnea symptoms usually feel better once they begin treatment with CPAP. It is important to follow-up with your doctor and to discuss any side effects with your doctor.
Other sleep apnea treatments include:
?Mouthpiece (oral appliance) for people with mild sleep apnea
?Surgery: The type of surgery depends upon the cause of the sleep apnea.
Types of surgery include:
?Surgery to remove tonsils and adenoids if they block the airway, this is especially helpful for children
?Uvulopalatopharyngoplasty
?Laser-assisted uvulopalatoplasty
?Tracheostomy
?Rebuilding the lower jaw
?Surgery on the nose
?Surgery to treat obesity.
Source: The National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute
Disclaimer: *This article is not meant to diagnose, treat or cure any kind of a health problem. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. Always consult with your health care provider about any kind of a health problem and especially before beginning any kind of an exercise routine.
This article is FREE to publish with the resource box. Article written 4-2007.
Both Kirsten Whittaker & Connie Limon are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
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