Sleep Apnea

Sleep apnea is just one of a number of common sleep disorders and the commonest type of sleep apnea is referred to as obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and is a condition marked by periods in which breathing stops while you are sleeping. Sometimes this condition is called sleep apnea syndrome or obstructive sleep apnea syndrome.

In otherwise healthy people the muscles which control the upper section of the throat ensure that the flow of air in and out of the lungs is both steady and continuous. During sleep these muscles relax a little but still do their job satisfactorily. However those people who suffer from sleep apnea generally have airways which are narrowed and therefore when the throat muscles relax the airway partially or completely closes thereby no longer allowing for the passage of air to the lungs. Snoring and labored breathing resulting in a sleep apnea episode will then occur.

In some people breathing can also stop altogether during periods of deep (or REM) sleep and researchers and medical experts are not sure about just why this occurs. These times during which breathing stops can last for as long as ten seconds or more in severe cases and are referred to as apneic events or sleep apnea episodes.
These apneic events result in a degree of awareness that you have ceases breathing and you subsequently struggle to start breathing again which is usually accompanied by gasping, choking or even snorting.

Thereafter it is normal to settle into a period of light sleep before the cycle of sleep apnea episodes returns.
The result is that an individual suffers from sleep that is fragmented and does not allow them the amount of rest that they need each night. This in turn leads to a variety of health problems one of which is excessive daytime tiredness. One of the reasons for this daytime symptom is simply that the oxygen level in the blood stream falls markedly during an apnea episode resulting in a condition known as hypoxia.

It is important to know that a lot of people who suffer from sleep apnea are unaware of their problem and often it is left to others to point out the problem. Sleep apnea sufferers are normally aware of being very tired during the day but do not always know why this is so.

The commonest warning signs of sleep apnea are loud snoring, waking in the morning and not feeling rested, morning headaches, difficulties with memory, changes in personality, falling asleep at inopportune times, high blood pressure, hyperactivity (in children only) and swelling of the legs in severe cases. The signs ought not to be ignored because the danger of sleep apnea is very real.

The first step in identifying sleep apnea ought to an appointment with your doctor who will take a full medical history and examine your mouth, throat and neck for any signs of growths or abnormalities. If your doctor suspects that you have sleep apnea he will send you for a sleep study and what is known as a polysomnogram (or PSG). This test records eye movement, brain waves, muscle activity, breathing rate, oxygen levels in the blood, heart rate and how much air is being both inhaled and exhaled while you sleep.