People who have sleep apnea stop breathing temporarily during their sleep at night. Therefore, they wake up feeling tire and irritable as well as having a sore mouth and throat. In some cases, the person can wake up gasping for air. Others seem to be able to survive the ordeal and sleep naturally.
Danger of sleep apnea
When a person suffers from sleep apnea, he or she does not have enough oxygen in their blood. It can bring sudden death. It can also cause heart disease, behavioral problems and brain damage.
Types of sleep apnea
Obstructive sleep apnea: This is the most common type. About 90 percent of sufferers have the obstructive version of the disease. It occurs when the muscles in the back of your throat relax and then collapse.
Central sleep apnea: This occurs when your brain does not send the proper signals that control the breathing muscles.
Risk factors
If you have the following symptoms, you are more than likely to get the disease.
Excess weight
Thick neck
Being male
Aging
Smoking
Usage of sleep medications
Diagnosis and treatment
Your doctor will do a sleep test on you for diagnosis. This is done at the hospital itself. You may have to attach yourself to the different measuring apparatus and fall asleep during the test.
For treatment, your doctor can use oral devices that open the blocked airways or the CPAPP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure). This is a device that blows air into your nose at night. In serious cases of the disease, you must undergo surgery. However, for less severe cases, losing weight seems to do the job.
You can cure sleep apnea if you have matchstick bamboo shades and matchstick shades at home. They make your bedroom much darker, which gives you better sleep quality.