Sleep Apnea Is Both An Extremely Commonly Seen and Occasionally Dangerous Sleeping Disorder

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Sleep Apnea Is Both An Extremely Commonly Seen and Occasionally Dangerous Sleeping Disorder

Friday, November 14th, 2008 Subscribe To Our Feed

Sleep apnea is perhaps the most commonly seen of all sleep disorders and affects in the region of 18 million Americans. A sleeping disorder which is characterized by interrupted breathing while sleeping, sleep apnea is also undeniably the most dangerous of sleeping disorders because it starves the brain of crucial oxygen and can occasionally prove to be fatal.

There are two completely separate forms of sleep apnea. Central sleep apnea is in essence a neurological condition in which breathing is broken because of signals sent out by the brain. Obstructive sleep apnea by contrast is basically a mechanical problem where the windpipe is obstructed either by too much tissue or by the abnormal collapse or relaxation of the muscles around the windpipe. In either case however the results are basically the same with repeated interruptions to normal breathing which starve the brain of oxygen and place the sufferer at heightened risk from things like hypertension, stroke and heart attack.

Unluckily, diagnosing sleep apnea can prove to be a problem as snoring, which is a common symptom and often results in sleep apnea being called the snoring disease, is also commonly seen as a symptom of numerous medical problems. Snoring is usually seen in cases of sleep apnea because the brain reacts to a lack of oxygen by waking the sufferer enough to restart the breathing process and this often produces snoring.

This repeated awakening through the night also causes a poor quality of sleep and it is quite common for sufferers to get up in the morning feeling even more tired than when they went to bed. This also causes feelings of exhaustion during the day and a tremendous desire to sleep.

However, tiredness arising from poor quality sleep is only part of the problem and a variety of other symptoms will normally be seen including morning headaches, poor memory and a problem in concentrating.

Left untreated the accumulating exhaustion from sleep apnea can produce severe psychological problems beginning with touchiness and moving on to depression with clear changes in both mood and behavior.

Both obstructive sleep apnea and central sleep apnea can be treated and, as long as the condition is caught at an early stage, this treatment can often be quite simple. For instance, a minor case of obstructive sleep apnea caused by nasal congestion can generally be treated with little more than a course of decongestants. Likewise, many cases of sleep apnea which are not especially serious may be treated with a mask that is worn during sleep and which delivers a constant pressure of air to keep the airway open. Finally, in the most serious cases of sleep apnea surgery may be required and can be extremely effective, though it could also lead to some complications and must be considered carefully.

Possibly the most important thing to bear in mind with sleep apnea is that because it carries the potential risk of respiratory failure sufferers should not be tempted to take sleeping pills or to use other types of sleep enhancers without the approval of their doctor.

Natural sleep remedies undoubtedly provide an effective complement to medically prescribed medication and herbal remedies which are designed to improve both the duration and quality of sleep may well be helpful in the management of the excessive daytime sleepiness generally brought on by sleep apnea. Likewise, such things as aromatherapy, chromatherapy and meditation and guided relaxation can help in reducing the insomnia and anxiety that go together with sleep apnea.

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