Sleep apnia is a sleep disorder that is characterized by the cessation of breathing during sleep. This stoppage can last anywhere from 10 seconds to 3 minutes. It is quite common, afflicting more than 12 million people in the United States. There are several different types with the two most common being obstructive sleep apnea and central sleep apnea. It is a serious syndrome that can lead to daytime drowsiness, accidents, and severe medical problems.
Obstructive sleep apnea involves a physical blocking of the airways in the throat. Patients typically tend to be obese, but this is certainly not the only cause. It can also be cause by other disorders or structural defects in the throat. Losing weight can make a significant improvement in the condition and is one aspect of effective treatment.
Most instances of obstructive sleep apnea can be effectively treated with a CPAP machine, which stands for continuous positive airway pressure. This involves wearing a mask over the nose or the nose and mouth while you sleep. It keeps the airway open for blowing a constant stream of air into the nasal passages. There are different levels of intensity depending on your particular diagnosis and prescription.
OSA is sometimes treated with surgery to correct or reduce the narrowing of the airway due to anatomical defects or accidents. However this is not always entirely successful at curing sleep apnea. Children seem to respond better to surgery than older patients. Common causes in children can be related to tonsillitis, and adenoiditis.
Mild obstructive sleep apnea is often treated with strategies to avoid sleeping on your back.
The success of the therapy can be measured in how awake and refreshed you feel during the day. As someone who has been successfully treated for OSA I can assure you there is no missing the improvements that effective treatment can bring. Just imagine being able to get through the day without feeling like you need to take a nap.
Having a regulated and consistent sleeping schedule will ensure a good night’s sleep. CPAP can only be so effective you also insist on staying up past midnight.
CPAP machines with humidifiers cost more and those without humidifiers are less expensive. My machine has a humidifier and honestly I don’t use it. I found having to keep it filled with distilled water every night was an incredible inconvenience. It is important to not have anything detract from you using the machine.
Loud snoring can be one symptom of sleep apnea. Generally the snoring begins soon after falling asleep. It will then continue at a regular pace and may increase in volume. All of a sudden it is interrupted by a long silent spell during which the individual has stopped breathing. The silence is then broken by a loud snort and/or gasp and then the snoring resumes. This pattern repeats itself throughout the night.
The other major type is central sleep apnea. This is different that OSA in that it is rooted in an abnormality in the brains control of breathing during sleep. It is less common and occurs because the area of your brain that is responsible for controlling your breathing muscles isn’t sending the correct signals. In other words there is no effort made to breathe for brief periods. CSA is more common in older people as they are more likely to have various conditions which can interfere with the nervous systems ability to regulate breathing.
Because it is so serious, yet so common everyone should make themselves away of the condition so that they can provide sleep apnea information to loved ones they are concerned about and encourage them to talk to their doctor about possible diagnosis and treatment.
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