What is Sleep Apnea?
August 8, 2011 in Featured, Sleep Disorders
Sleep apnea is a pause in breathing while you are asleep. Your breathing will typically become very shallow and it may completely stop for 10 seconds or more. These pauses in breathing can happen up to 400 times a night. As you might expect, your quality of sleep is very poor when sleep apnea is present.
How common is sleep apnea?
The National Sleep Foundation have estimated that about 18 million people suffer from sleep apnea. New research has found that it is very common in people with certain disease states. For example, about 1 out of every 3 people with type 2 diabetes has sleep apnea.
What causes sleep apnea?
There are three different kinds of sleep apnea: obstructive, central and mixed. Obstructive sleep apnea is the most common form of sleep apnea. It is caused when the muscles in your throat briefly collapse or close. It may also be caused by obesity or large tonsils. Being overweight is often a primary cause or contributor to obstructive sleep apnea. In central sleep apnea, the airway is open, but the brain does not tell your body to breath. Mixed sleep apnea is a combination of the two.
What are the symptoms of sleep apnea?
The most common symptoms of sleep apnea are loud snoring, choking or gasping during sleep, and sleepiness during the day. Not everyone that snores loudly has sleep apnea, and not everyone with sleep apnea has loud snoring. Many people with sleep apnea may not even know they have it.
How is sleep apnea diagnosed?
Sleep apnea is often diagnosed with a sleep study. For this study you will typically spend a night in a sleep center. The sleep center is set up to monitor your breathing, heart rate and other things to help your physician diagnose this condition. If you think you may have sleep apnea, talk with your doctor.
Who is at risk for developing sleep apnea?
Sleep apnea can occur in anyone at any age. However, it is more common in males, people who are overweight and people over the age of 40.
What are the effects of sleep apnea on my body?
The most noticeable effect of sleep apnea is sleepiness during the day; however, it also causes more serious health problems. In fact, if left untreated, sleep apnea could cause death. Sleep apnea can significantly increase your blood pressure and cause heart disease. Sleep apnea may cause strokes, heart attacks, weight gain, heart failure and irregular heart beats.
