Sleep Apnea Cures
A good night’s sleep is essential to optimal health. For many people however, this can prove frustrating and elusive. There are a number of conditions that can interfere with getting enough sleep. Of these, sleep apnea is the most potentially dangerous.
Sleep apnea is a disruption of breathing while asleep, causing periodic gasping for air or struggling for breath, sometimes hundreds of times during the night. Most people who suffer from this disorder do not realize they have it, because when they awaken they don’t remember having trouble breathing.
If not treated, sleep apnea can be life-threatening, so it is very important to ensure that your breathing is normal during the night. It is advisable to watch for the warning signs and seek out sleep apnea solutions as soon as possible. These warning signs can include very loud snoring or gasping; choking as if unable to get air into the lungs; sudden awakenings during the night, sometimes waking up sweating; and feeling exhausted during the day even with a full night’s sleep.
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What causes these awakenings? When breathing is interrupted due to sleep apnea, it changes the balance of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the blood. The imbalance of these essential chemicals signals the brain to restart the breathing process. These awakening incidents are necessary to restart breathing, but may not be remembered later. The result is feeling very tired and unrefreshed by any amount of sleep.
There are two main types of sleep apnea.
The most common is Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA), which is caused by an obstruction that blocks flow of air in the nose and mouth. With OSA, the throat collapses during sleep, obstructing the airway and preventing air from reaching the lungs. In a healthy person, the throat muscles keep the throat and airway open during sleep. In some people, however, these muscles can relax more than normal, due to age, alcohol, other sedatives, or even being overweight or obese. People with certain physical factors, such as large tonsils or tongue, deviated septum, or enlarged adenoids, can also be more at risk for sleep apnea. Even temporary factors such as nasal congestion can cause sleep apnea.
The other type of sleep apnea, though less common, is Central Sleep Apnea (CSA). This is a central nervous system disorder in which the brain signals instructing the body to breathe are delayed. CSA can be caused by a diseases or injuries of the brain, such as viral brain infections, strokes, brain tumors, or respiratory problems. CSA sufferers seldom snore. While the causes of sleep apnea are different in CSA and OSA, they both are serious conditions that result in a deprivation of oxygen and not enough sleep.
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The effects of sleep deprivation can include irritability, inability to concentrate, and a compromised immune system. The problems of oxygen deprivation are even more serious: heart disease, high blood pressure, sexual dysfunction, learning and memory problems, and depression. If you suspect you might have sleep apnea, try keeping a “sleep journal” for several nights (or have your partner record the data). Include information such as snoring, any choking or gasping sounds, and awakening during the night.
Also make a note of how refreshed you feel in the morning. You should also try losing any excess weight and refraining from sedatives before bed. After you have recorded a typical time period of your sleep (perhaps a week), consult a doctor or a sleep specialist. If they suspect you have sleep apnea, you will probably be sent for an overnight study in a sleep lab. By observation and measuring how frequently you stop breathing, a diagnosis can be reached and a cure for sleep apnea can be discussed.
The most important thing for your health is to make sure that you are getting a normal night’s sleep. Sleep apnea cures can be as simple as lifestyle changes so seek out help today.
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Sleep Apnea Treatments And Symptoms
Sleep Apnea is a sleep disorder where the normal breathing of a person is obstructed during the sleep and the airway, the upper one, becomes obstructed due to many reasons. It is characterized by breathing interruptions of about 10-20 seconds. These interruptions can range anything between 5-100 per hour. A variety of sleep apnea treatments are available.
Apnea in general means a period of time in which normal breathing is reduced or even completely stopped. The normal inflow of air can get reduced up to 75%. The person under the effects of sleep apnea may not even be aware of the fact that they suffer from it.
The common cause of sleep apnea is cessation of the airflow passage, which leads to reduced breathing or stopped breathing during sleep. The passage could be blocked by excess tissue in the path of the air. This is a common reason for sleep apnea in obese people. Even large uvula (tonsils) and large tongue tissue can obstruct the airflow passage leading to the development of the sleep disorder, sleep apnea.
The other site of airflow obstruction is the nasal passage. If you have persistent cold and/or cough, it also contributes to the development of this sleep disorder. Many times the structure of your jaw can also be a factor in sleep apnea.
Symptoms may also include daytime fatigue and irritation. However, the most common symptom of sleep apnea is frequent episodes of obstructed breathing while sleeping. Another symptom is usually snoring during sleeping. This snorting gets so loud that it becomes difficult for any possible bed partner to sleep. The person with sleep apnea disorder will awake at short intervals of time during the sleep due to obstructed breathing.
Some of the other common symptoms of sleep apnea include the after effects such as severe headache in the morning usually after getting up. Inability to concentrate, recall things and events. Excess release of stress hormones also mark the beginning of, or persisting of sleep apnea. It also can lead to cardiovascular diseases.
There are many signs and symptoms of this disorder. and if you think you might be suffering from sleep apnea or any other sleep disorder, consult your doctor for a proper diagnosis and sleep apnea cures.
Tags: airflow obstruction, daytime fatigue, nasal passage, sleep, Sleep Apnea, sleep apnea symptoms, sleep apnea treatment, Sleep Apnea Treatments, sleep disorder, symptoms of sleep apnea