Tell Me About Sleep Apnea

I wouldn’t bother so much having my bed partner lie on the sofa in the living room snoring, as I would if he suffered from sleep apnea, a more serious and harmful disorder. This breathing disorder during sleep that is followed by interrupted and shallow breathing can be treated easily provided it is found out in time and not mistaken for normal snoring.

Therefore it is best to understand what sleep apnea and its symptoms are, so we can help a loved one that is suffering from the disorder of sleep apnea.

You have to know that untreated sleep apnea could hinder you having good sleep at night and make you feel tired, fatigued, mentally exhausted and least productive on the next day. The breathing pauses could last anywhere between 10 to 20 seconds, occur up to 100 times on the same night. This would reduce the amount of the deep natural sleep that is necessary for the body to function normally physically and mentally during the daytime.

Most of us understand the implications of not having a sound night’s sleep and this is no exception for a person with sleep apnea. He/she would suffer from chronic daytime tiredness, lack of concentration and slow reflexes that could make one have higher risks for accidents.

In addition the long-term results of sleep apnea are serious health disorders like diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, and weight gain.

Watch out for symptoms of sleep apnea like loud and chronic snoring, choking, gasping, snorting in sleep and long interruptions in breathing. In addition observe if he/she feels tired and sleepy during the day even after protracted hours of sleep at night.

In addition, look out for dry mouth or sore throat on waking up, morning headaches, restiveness, insomnia, grumpiness, bad temper or even depression. Waking up feeling restive, forgetful, with a lack of concentration power and frequent trips to the toilet at night could be other symptoms.

On noticing these indications consult a specialist. He/she will prescribe an overnight stay in a hospital to observe and diagnose sleep apnea. It is best to understand that just snoring or some of these indications does not lead to a diagnosis of sleep apnea.

Snoring could be just normal and it does not interfere with the quality and amount of sleep and make one feel chronically fatigued, sleepy or lack of concentration, all of which could result in accidents. However the job of diagnosing lies with the doctor.

It is best to take into account that sleep apnea could be of various types. In an episode of obstructive sleep apnea, the soft tissues on the back of the throat relax and block oxygen from entering the lungs during sleep and it causes a brief interruption of sleep.

However, central sleep apnea is less well-known but more grave and occurs when the brain fails to signal the breath regulating muscles to breathe and this could make one aware than one has woken up. The most serious of sleep apneas is the amalgamation of both these apnea known as complex sleep apnea.

Believe me, sleep apnea could be easily discovered in the early phases with your bed partner’s help. A sleep diary would help him/her record your snoring, gasping, choking, or other unusual sounds. In addition a video recording of the patient would help you record symptoms of sleep apnea.

Owen Jones, the writer of this piece, writes on a number of subjects, but is now concerned with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome. If you would like to know more, please visit our website at Sleep Apnea Surgery Techniques