Sleep apnea is just one of several very 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 stops while sleeping. At times this medical condition is referred to as sleep apnea syndrome or obstructive sleep apnea syndrome.
In healthy individuals the muscles which work the upper section of the throat ensure that the air flow in and out of the lungs is steady and continuous. While you are sleeping these muscles relax to a degree but nonetheless still manage to do their job properly. However those people who have sleep apnea frequently have airways that are narrowed for one reason or another so that when the throat muscles relax this causes the airway to partially or completely close up thereby stopping the passage of air to the lungs. Snoring and labored breathing resulting in a sleep apnea episode will then occur.
In some individuals breathing can also stop completely during periods of deep sleep and medical experts and researchers are nor clear about just why this occurs. These periods during which breathing stops can last for as long as ten seconds or more and are known as apneic events or sleep apnea episodes.
These apneic events result in a degree of awareness that you have stopped breathing and you then struggle to breath again which is generally accompanied by choking, gasping or even snorting.
Thereafter it is usual to fall into a period of light sleep before the cycle of sleep apnea episodes returns.
The effect is that a person suffers from fragmented sleep which does not allow them to get amount of rest which they need on a nightly basis. This can lead to a variety of health problems including excessive daytime tiredness. One reason for this daytime symptom is simply that the level of oxygen in the blood falls tremendously during an apnea episode leading to a condition known as hypoxia.
It is important to be aware that many people with sleep apnea are not aware that they have a problem and frequently it must be left to others to point out the problem. Sleep apnea sufferers are frequently aware of being very tired throughout the day but do not necessarily know why.
The commonest warning signs of sleep apnea are loud and habitual snoring, awakening in the morning and still feeling tired, morning headaches, difficulties with memory, changes in personality, falling asleep at inappropriate times, hypertension, high activity levels (in children only) and swelling of the legs in severe cases. The signs ought not to be disregarded because the danger of sleep apnea is very real.
The initial step in identifying sleep apnea ought to an appointment with your doctor who will read through your medical history and examine your mouth, throat and neck for any signs of growths or abnormalities. If sleep apnea is suspected your physician will refer you to a specialist sleep center for a sleep study and what is known as a polysomnogram (or PSG). This test records eye movement, brain waves, breathing rate, muscle activity, blood oxygen levels, heart rate and the quantity of air that is being both inhaled and exhaled while you are sleeping.
Sleep apnea is a very common sleep disorder which frequently goes unrecognized but which can be extremely dangerous and which can normally be effectively treated.
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An Examination Of Sleep Apnea Sleep Disorder And Its Causes, Signs and Diagnosis
Sleep apnea is just one of several very 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 stops while sleeping. At times this medical condition is referred to as sleep apnea syndrome or obstructive sleep apnea syndrome.
In healthy individuals the muscles which work the upper section of the throat ensure that the air flow in and out of the lungs is steady and continuous. While you are sleeping these muscles relax to a degree but nonetheless still manage to do their job properly. However those people who have sleep apnea frequently have airways that are narrowed for one reason or another so that when the throat muscles relax this causes the airway to partially or completely close up thereby stopping the passage of air to the lungs. Snoring and labored breathing resulting in a sleep apnea episode will then occur.
In some individuals breathing can also stop completely during periods of deep sleep and medical experts and researchers are nor clear about just why this occurs. These periods during which breathing stops can last for as long as ten seconds or more and are known as apneic events or sleep apnea episodes.
These apneic events result in a degree of awareness that you have stopped breathing and you then struggle to breath again which is generally accompanied by choking, gasping or even snorting.
Thereafter it is usual to fall into a period of light sleep before the cycle of sleep apnea episodes returns.
The effect is that a person suffers from fragmented sleep which does not allow them to get amount of rest which they need on a nightly basis. This can lead to a variety of health problems including excessive daytime tiredness. One reason for this daytime symptom is simply that the level of oxygen in the blood falls tremendously during an apnea episode leading to a condition known as hypoxia.
It is important to be aware that many people with sleep apnea are not aware that they have a problem and frequently it must be left to others to point out the problem. Sleep apnea sufferers are frequently aware of being very tired throughout the day but do not necessarily know why.
The commonest warning signs of sleep apnea are loud and habitual snoring, awakening in the morning and still feeling tired, morning headaches, difficulties with memory, changes in personality, falling asleep at inappropriate times, hypertension, high activity levels (in children only) and swelling of the legs in severe cases. The signs ought not to be disregarded because the danger of sleep apnea is very real.
The initial step in identifying sleep apnea ought to an appointment with your doctor who will read through your medical history and examine your mouth, throat and neck for any signs of growths or abnormalities. If sleep apnea is suspected your physician will refer you to a specialist sleep center for a sleep study and what is known as a polysomnogram (or PSG). This test records eye movement, brain waves, breathing rate, muscle activity, blood oxygen levels, heart rate and the quantity of air that is being both inhaled and exhaled while you are sleeping.
Sleep apnea is a very common sleep disorder which frequently goes unrecognized but which can be extremely dangerous and which can normally be effectively treated.
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