What is Sleep Apnea
Sleep apnea is a strange condition whereby the sufferer actually stops breathing during the night. Now this may sound startling and pretty scary but it is actually quite common. Everyone has the possibility of having sleep apnea.
There are three types of sleep apnea: Obstructive apnea, Central apnea, and Mixed apnea
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Obstructive apnea
By far the most common occurrence is called ‘obstructive’ apnea. What happens is that during the night or when the sufferer is asleep, the air cannot enter or escape from the nose and mouth. This results in a sensation of choking which wakes the person up continuously. These episodes can often repeat as much as 50 times per hour. A person with obstructive apnea fails to get a good night’s rest because of these interruptions and as a result is effected by sleep deprivation, among other things.
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Central apnea
Central apnea is much less common than its brother and happens when the brain fails to send the correct message to the muscles telling them to breathe.
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Mixed apnea
Mixed apnea is a combination of obstructive and central apnea.
All three types of this condition can effect anyone. Men seem to be more prone than women to sleep apnea, particularly men over 40. New research also shows that being overweight and possibly genetics can play a role in sleep apnea.
People with this disorder can wake up in the morning with headaches and may be prone to drowsiness throughout the day. Sleep apnea may also effect ones concentration due to the fact that they are not properly sleeping. They can develop high blood pressure and become more susceptible to strokes and heart attacks.
For the majority of people that suffer from sleep apnea, the most they have to endure is a lot of snoring and waking suddenly waking themselves up from their loud snoring. But if this persists it is a very wise choice to go and see a doctor who will send you to a specialist. Once there they will be able to perform various tests to decide on the best course of action.
Diagnosing someone with sleep apnea is not always that simple because there are many things that can cause a range of sleeping disorders. The two main tests for sleep apnea are the multiple sleep latency test and polysomnography.
The multiple latency sleep test is measures how quickly a patient falls asleep. People who fall asleep in less than five minutes will very likely need some treatment.
The polysomnography test makes a record of all the many different bodily functions when we are sleeping such as muscles and oxygen levels in the blood, eye movements, and brain activity. The polysomnography is probably the best test to figure out if a person has sleep apnea and how severe the apnea is.
Once someone is confirmed to having sleep apnea, the most common treatment is CPAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure). CPAP is basically having a mask worn over the nose when sleeping and pumping in air so the person can breathe more easily. It is quite effective but a little inconvenient. There are a few side effects such as sore throats or headaches. Surgery is also an option but only in severe cases.
Sleep apnea does not have to be a problem. Not only are there medical treatments for it, there are many lifestyle changes that a person can do to help with their sleep apnea.
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