Sleep apnea does have the potential to become a very serious and disruptive force in your life. For some people, the issue may have a minor effect, but for others it is severely disabling when they can't sleep and that deprivation causes their ability to function well to be impaired.
Whether the problem seems to be minor or major, it always warrants proper attention and medical diagnosis.
If your doctor feels you may have apnea during sleep, he or she will schedule you for a night at the sleep study center. Sleep apnea solutions are provided in these centers, which are located at most hospitals and some outpatient sites in almost every major city. At the clinic, when you go to sleep, you will be hooked up with heart monitors and other devices so you can be monitored through the night by the technicians. The devices continue to run and record as you sleep and even if you wake during the night. In the morning, the devices are disconnected and you go home. The process is very simple, but telling.The information recorded and noted by the workers at the sleep center will be looked over by a sleep specialist and then forwarded with a report to your own doctor. From there, your doctor will decide what the best course of action is.
Sleep apnea can be life threatening. While most people do wake up and begin breathing again, it is possible for that not to happen. If the problem is found to be apnea, usually you will be given a CPAP machine. CPAP stands for Continuous Positive Air Pressure.
CPAP Explained
Just as the name suggests, CPAP device delivers continuous positive air pressure into your lungs through a mask that you wear at night. It does take a while to get used to the machine as well as the air being blown into your nose and mouth, but many people use CPAP machines routinely with great success. Most people with apnea, once on CPAP, will notice they are not fatigued during the day anymore.
Who Gets Sleep Apnea?
There is some suggestion although no concrete evidence that apnea may be hereditary. There are many studies going on but so far, no one really knows the answer to this question.
Smokers and non smokers alike get apnea. People who are overweight do tend to have a higher incidence of sleep apnea. However, even if no one in your family has had it that you are aware of, if you wake often during the night, get checked for it. Always rule out the medical possibilities first before moving on to the non-medical problems and sleep apnea solutions. Do keep in mind, though, that as part of an overall apnea management plan, other more natural devices and options can often help.
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