Sleep Apnea
Sleep apnea is a condition in which you stop breathing while asleep. With sleep apnea, your breathing while you are asleep apnea include: obstructive sleep apnea, which as apneic events. The types of sleep apnea can include: obstructive sleep apnea, which is the most common form of sleep apnea; central sleep apnea; and mixed sleep apnea, which combines the two other types. Sleep apnea, it can cause serious health problems. It can increase the risk of stroke, diabetes, obesity, heart attack, heart failure, irregular heartbeat, and high blood pressure. It increases the risk for accidents while walking, or driving, as some people with sleep apnea may fall asleep during those activities.
Central sleep apnea
In central sleep apnea, breathing is disrupted regularly during sleep because of the way the brain functions. It isn't that you can not breathe [ which is true in obstructive sleep apnea]; rather, you not try to breath at all. The brain doesn't tell your muscles to breathe. This types of sleep apnea is usually associated with serious illness, especially an illness in which the lower brainstem -- which controls breathing -- is affected. In infants, central sleep apnea produces pauses in breathing that can last 20 seconds.
Sleep Apnea Facts
Causes of Sleep Apnea
Obstructive sleep apnea occurs when the muscles in the back of your throat relax. These muscles support the soft palate, the triangular piece of tissue hanging from the soft palate, the tonsils, the side walls of the throat and the tongue. When the muscles relax, your airway narrows or closes as you breathe in, and you cannot get an adequate breath in. This may lower the level of oxygen in your blood. Your brain senses this inability to breathe and briefly rouses you from sleep so you can reopen your airway. This awakening is usually so brief that you do not remember it.
You may make a snorting, choking or gasping sound. This pattern can repeat itself five to 30 times or more each hour, all night long. These disruptions impair your ability to reach the desired deep, restful phases of sleep, and you will probably feel sleepy during your waking hours. People with obstructive sleep apnea may not be aware that their sleep was interrupted. In fact, some people with this type of sleep apnea think they sleep well all night.
Central sleep apnea, which is much less common, occurs when your brain fails to transmit signals to your breathing muscles. You may awaken with shortness of breath or have a difficult time getting to sleep or staying asleep. Like with obstructive sleep apnea, snoring and daytime sleepiness can occur. The most common cause of central sleep apnea is heart failure and, less commonly, a stoke. People with central sleep apnea may be more likely to remember awakening than are people with obstructive sleep apnea.
Symptoms of Obstructive Sleep Apnea
Obstructive sleep apnea has many well-studied consequences. First, as one would expect, it disrupts sleep. Patients with disrupted sleep cannot concentrate, think, or remember as well during the day. This has been shown to cause more accidents in the work place and while driving. Thus, people with obstructive sleep apnea have a three-fold greater risk of a car accident that the general population. Sleep apnea symptoms at night time include:
It is important to note that the bed partner of individuals with sleep apnea may suffer from poor nighttime sleep and can have some to the same symptoms.
Sleep apnea is a condition in which you stop breathing while asleep. With sleep apnea, your breathing while you are asleep apnea include: obstructive sleep apnea, which as apneic events. The types of sleep apnea can include: obstructive sleep apnea, which is the most common form of sleep apnea; central sleep apnea; and mixed sleep apnea, which combines the two other types. Sleep apnea, it can cause serious health problems. It can increase the risk of stroke, diabetes, obesity, heart attack, heart failure, irregular heartbeat, and high blood pressure. It increases the risk for accidents while walking, or driving, as some people with sleep apnea may fall asleep during those activities.
Central sleep apnea
In central sleep apnea, breathing is disrupted regularly during sleep because of the way the brain functions. It isn't that you can not breathe [ which is true in obstructive sleep apnea]; rather, you not try to breath at all. The brain doesn't tell your muscles to breathe. This types of sleep apnea is usually associated with serious illness, especially an illness in which the lower brainstem -- which controls breathing -- is affected. In infants, central sleep apnea produces pauses in breathing that can last 20 seconds.
Sleep Apnea Facts
- Sleep apnea is defined as a reduction or cessation of breathing during sleep.
- Central sleep apnea is caused by a failure of the brain to activate the muscles of breathing during sleep.
- The three types of sleep apnea are central apnea, obstructive apnea, and a mixture of central and obstructive apnea.
- Obstructive sleep apnea is caused by the collapse of the airway during sleep.
- The complications of obstructive sleep apnea include high blood pressure, heart disease, strokes, automobile accidents, and daytime sleepiness as well as difficulty concentrating , thinking and remembering.
- Obstructive sleep apnea is diagnosed and evaluated by history, physical examination and polysomnography.
- The nonsurgical treatments for obstructive sleep apnea include behavior therapy, medications, dental appliances, continuous positive airway pressure, bi-level positive airway pressure, and auto-titrating continuous positive airway pressure.
- The surgical treatment for obstructive sleep apnea include nasal surgery, palate implants, uvulopalatopharyngoplasty, tongue reduction surgery, genioglossus advancement, maxillo-mandibular advancement, tracheostomy, and bariatric surgery.
Causes of Sleep Apnea
Obstructive sleep apnea occurs when the muscles in the back of your throat relax. These muscles support the soft palate, the triangular piece of tissue hanging from the soft palate, the tonsils, the side walls of the throat and the tongue. When the muscles relax, your airway narrows or closes as you breathe in, and you cannot get an adequate breath in. This may lower the level of oxygen in your blood. Your brain senses this inability to breathe and briefly rouses you from sleep so you can reopen your airway. This awakening is usually so brief that you do not remember it.
You may make a snorting, choking or gasping sound. This pattern can repeat itself five to 30 times or more each hour, all night long. These disruptions impair your ability to reach the desired deep, restful phases of sleep, and you will probably feel sleepy during your waking hours. People with obstructive sleep apnea may not be aware that their sleep was interrupted. In fact, some people with this type of sleep apnea think they sleep well all night.
Central sleep apnea, which is much less common, occurs when your brain fails to transmit signals to your breathing muscles. You may awaken with shortness of breath or have a difficult time getting to sleep or staying asleep. Like with obstructive sleep apnea, snoring and daytime sleepiness can occur. The most common cause of central sleep apnea is heart failure and, less commonly, a stoke. People with central sleep apnea may be more likely to remember awakening than are people with obstructive sleep apnea.
Symptoms of Obstructive Sleep Apnea
Obstructive sleep apnea has many well-studied consequences. First, as one would expect, it disrupts sleep. Patients with disrupted sleep cannot concentrate, think, or remember as well during the day. This has been shown to cause more accidents in the work place and while driving. Thus, people with obstructive sleep apnea have a three-fold greater risk of a car accident that the general population. Sleep apnea symptoms at night time include:
- Gasping for air, witnessed apneas, or choking sensation
- Snoring, usually loud and bothersome
- Restless sleep
- Insomnia
- Fatigue
- Daytime sleepiness
- Frequent day time naps
- Headache
- Irritability
- Sexual dysfunction
- Mood and personality changes like depression and anxiety
It is important to note that the bed partner of individuals with sleep apnea may suffer from poor nighttime sleep and can have some to the same symptoms.
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