Sleep Apnea - Symptoms And
Causes
Learn More About The Symptoms And Causes
Of Sleep Apnea
Sleep apnea is a very serious sleep disorder affecting more
than 18 million Americans. It's a medical condition which
a person's breathing is continuously interrupted during sleep.
Breathing can be interrupted for as short as 10 seconds or
to as long as 60 seconds, or longer.
In order to resume breating, the brain has to awaken the
individual each time breathing stops. The cycle of breathing
disruption and brain awakening can repeat hundreds of times
during a single sleep period.
Sleep apnea deprives the body of sleep and also of oxygen.
If you do not bother to treat if, it will be worsened. Not
only that, high blood pressure and other types of cardiovascular
disease can be developed. Sleep apnea can become so severe
that your life could be endangered.
The most obvious symptom of sleep apnea is a constant feeling
of grogginess throughout the day. Many people who suffer from
this disorder will frequently fall asleep during daytime hours.
This is not hard to understand since a person with sleep apnea
almost never fall into a deep sleep.
There are also other symptoms associated with sleep apnea.
Those associated with sleeping includes profusely sweating
during sleep, gasping or choking, unusually loud snoring
and waking suddenly to catch breath.
When you are awake, you may experience the incapability of
focusing and concentrating at work. Sleep apnea might also
cause morning headaches and a sore throat or dry mouth upon
awakening. Your attention span may be shorter compared to
the normal people and your judgment may not be as good. Besides,
mood swings or depression are possible as well. Impotence
and weight gain are also the potential symptoms.
Those who left their sleep apnea untreated can suffer other
consequences including an increased risk of becoming involved
in driving-related accidents and inefficiency to carry out
work-related functions.
The word apnea means ¡®without breath¡¯, it is actually a Greek
word. In a certain type of sleep apnea, the muscles inside
the windpipe located at the back of the throat soften and
as they soften, they relax, causing a blockage inside this
airway.
These muscles support the tongue, tonsils or uvula, which
is why these body parts can also cause the blockage. The blockage
will prevent an adequate supply of air from entering. This
most common form of sleep apnea is referred to as OSA or Obstructed
Sleep Apnea.
Central Sleep Apnea, which is a far less common form of sleep
apnea, there is no blockage. Rather, for some reason the brain
is not able to send the messages necessary to instruct the
appropriate muscles to carry out the breathing function. Blocked
airways and loss of brain control can also occur simultaneously
resulting in a form of sleep apnea called Mixed Apnea.
There are several factors that are believed responsible for
causing sleep apnea. Males who aged 40 or older make up the
largest risk group. Other than age, overweight issues, smoker,
alcoholic or use sedations can also promote the problem of
sleep apnea. An irregular sleep schedule, a family history,
nasal
congestion, snoring and problems with the tonsils, adenoids,
tongue, chin, septum, vocal cords and more can all contribute
to sleep apnea.
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