Sleep Apnea Disorders
It is important to keep the lines of communication open with your doctor at all times. You are the patient and deserve to know everything you can about the disorder you have been, or are about to be, diagnosed with. Let’s take a look at some relevant questions to discuss with your doctor.
What is sleep apnea?
Sleep apnea is a disorder where a person ceases breathing for anywhere from 10-60 seconds at a time during night time sleep. In more serious cases, the breathing lapses can be even longer. Sleep “apnea events” can occur as often as 300-400 times per night. Some people wake up during the episodes and others do not. Those who find themselves constantly waking up throughout the night end up with “excessive daytime sleepiness” which is one of the most common symptoms of sleep apnea. Loud, habitual snoring is the other major symptom.
There are three types of sleep apnea:
1) Obstructive sleep apnea is the most widespread, afflicting 9 out of 10 individuals suffering from the sleep disorder. In this case, an obstruction is blocking the trachea (or wind pipe) from allowing air in and out of the lungs. Other causes of the obstruction could be too much fatty tissue in the area of the throat or in still other cases, throat muscles are too relaxed.
2) Central sleep apnea is connected to the work of the central nervous system. In this case “the muscles you use to breathe don’t get the ‘go-ahead’ signal from the brain. Either the brain doesn’t send the signal, or the signal gets interrupted.” This form is extremely rare.
3) Mixed sleep apnea is a combination of the other two but has more in common with obstructive sleep apnea.
Is sleep apnea a common disorder?
It is believed that an estimated 18-20 million Americans suffer from sleep apnea in one form or another. It is more common in men than women and more likely to commence after the age of forty but like many disorders, sleep apnea doesn’t necessarily follow any special guidelines.
How do I know for sure if I have sleep apnea?
If you exhibit any of the symptoms of sleep apnea (such as loud snoring, cessation of breathing during the night, extreme tiredness during the day) the doctor can send you for a special sleep-recording test known as a polysomnography which can diagnosis the disorder.
Is sleep apnea dangerous and/or life threatening?
If left untreated sleep apnea can lead to more serious health problems such as high blood pressure, heart disease and stroke. The chance of having a car accident or a work related accident is also increased for those suffering from sleep apnea.
Is there anything that can be done to improve sleep apnea?
Making lifestyle changes initially can go a long way in preventing sleep apnea from worsening. Suggestions for changes include: losing weight, stop smoking, limit use of alcohol four hours before bedtime, no sleeping pills or sedatives and sleeping on your left or right side instead of on your back.
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