What is Sleep Apnea?

Individuals with sleep apnea are often totally unaware of their breathing problems. They may actually think that they are sleeping well, even though they are being briefly waking to breathe. This occurrence may be so short that they do not remember it at all.

Another symptom to be aware of is having to frequently urinate at night, called nocturia. While the average person may get up to use the bathroom once or twice a night, someone with sleep apnea may do so six or more times. After being treated for it, this problem often disappears.

Snoring is another symptom, but not all snoring indicates that you have sleep apnea. Snoring is not normal, and its presence indicates that there is a breathing problem. It is only associated with sleep apnea when there are also periods of not breathing at the same time. Louder snoring is often connected with sleep apnea.

One of the main symptoms of sleep apnea is that the individual with it will rarely get a good night's sleep that refreshes. This is because the broken sleep, which the body reacts to, but may not actually wake the person, prevents them from entering into restful REM sleep.

It is this sleep level that is necessary for healing and refreshing of the body and the mind. A lack of sufficient REM sleep will leave you tired all day and less able to concentrate. The tiredness will still be there even if you were able to get eight hours of sleep.

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) – This form causes the breathing to stop multiple times a night due to blockage of the throat caused by relaxed throat muscles or the tongue. It is the most common type.

Central sleep apnea (CSA) – This form is caused as a result of the brain not sending the right signals to the muscles that are responsible for breathing. It may be caused by other health problems such as liver or heart problems. The use of opiates can sometimes cause this problem.

Complex sleep apnea syndrome – This type is a combination of the other two. It is believed to be about 15 percent of the sleep apnea cases.

Constant breathing is important to the human body. With sleep apnea, breathing may actually stop for several seconds to over a minute each time, and this can occur as many as hundreds of times in a single night. The slowed breathing causes there to be less oxygen flowing through the body. After a while this will cause various health problems in addition to the constant tiredness.

This may include:

• High blood pressure
• Diabetes
• Depression
• Heart disease
• Headaches
• Problems with memory
• Impotence
• Irregular heart beats
• Stroke

Because of the lack of quality sleep, the individual is apt to experience problems in areas where they are expected to perform. This may include the workplace, school, may result in vehicle accidents, and children may underachieve.

There is a particular danger if a person with sleep apnea drives. They could easily fall asleep and endanger others. Some states have laws in place to restrict driving privileges of people with sleep disorders, and other states are in the process of implementing them.

Another problem caused by sleep apnea concerns relationships. The breathing problems caused by it, and the snoring, are going to keep the other bed partner awake – which means he or she does not sleep well, either. This common lack of sleep can result in two people being more irritable, increasing the tension in the home. It is not unusual for partners to sleep in another room, or on the floor to get a better night's sleep.

Sleep apnea is not limited to any age group. Although it is most frequently seen in men over 40, children can also be affected by it. Other risk factors include:

• Being overweight
• Nasal obstruction as a result of allergies or sinus
• Having a large tongue or tonsils, or a small jaw bone
• Having a large neck
• Family history
• GERD
• Tobacco and alcohol
• Some medications
• African-American and Hispanic men.

Before any treatment can be initiated, it is necessary to be tested for it. This will enable the doctor to understand which type you have, and then treatment will be based on the type.

Testing for sleep apnea involves a sleep test. This means being hooked up for роlуsоmnоgrарhу (РЅG), and to a monitor and then going to sleep for a full night. There will be several electrodes hooked up in order to measure your heart rate, breathing, pulse rate, blood oxygen levels, sleep patterns, and positions. You can get tested at a sleep lab, where you are apt to receive more thorough results.

It may be possible to be given a device to record your breathing at home. Different devices will test for different things, so the device will need to be recommended by the doctor. If you are believed to have more severe apnea or other sleep disorders, or if you have certain health conditions, such as congestive heart failure, neuromuscular diseases, etc., you should go to a lab. In some cases, more than one test may need to be given.

Health insurance will often pay for a sleep test when it is prescribed by a doctor. The test will also need to be given by a qualified and experienced sleep specialist.

In addition to being diagnosed for sleep apnea, a diagnosis will also determine the severity of it. You will be placed in a category of mild, moderate, or severe depending on the number of interrupted breathing episodes that occur in an hour.

Mild OSA: This person experiences 5 to 14 episodes of interrupted breathing within an hour.

Moderate OSA: This person experiences 15 to 30 episodes of interrupted breathing within an hour.

Severe OSA: This person experiences 30 or more episodes of interrupted breathing within an hour.