Do you feel tired most of the time and want to take a nap? That was the story of my life until about nine months ago when I was diagnosed with sleep apnea. It was a relief to finally find out why I was always tired and needed to take naps. That's half the problem with health issues- getting to the root cause of the problem so that you can finally do something about it.
Sleep apnea can manifest in any or all of the following symptoms:
• Loud snoring
• Frequent silences during sleep
• Choking or gasping during sleep
• Sudden awakenings to restart breathing or waking up in a sweat
• Sleeping more than normal or difficulty staying asleep
• Daytime sleepiness
• Trouble concentrating
• Mood/behavior change
• Morning headaches
If you have any of these symptoms, it's time to talk to your physician about getting a sleep study. Sleep apnea is a serious medical condition; however, snoring is not always associated with sleep apnea. Other culprits of snoring can be nasal and sinus problems, being overweight, alcohol use, smoking, and certain medications, especially sedatives. It can also be caused by something as simple as sleep posture because sleeping flat on your back causes the flesh of your throat to relax and block the airway.
According to the National Institute of Health, more than 12 million Americans suffer from sleep apnea, and it is estimated that approximately 10 million people remain undiagnosed. The main reason it often goes undiagnosed is that even though someone may have many breathing interruptions throughout the night, they may not have any recollection of it. Additionally, it's common for people to be aware that they snore, but they don't realize it could be a symptom of a medical condition.
The majority of sleep apnea patients are males over the age of 40 who are overweight; however, the disease can also affect males and females of all ages, including those of ideal weight. The disorder can also be genetic as some studies have shown that a family history can increase the risk by two to four times.
There are three types of apnea- obstructive, central and mixed. Obstructive sleep apnea is the most common. Obstructive apnea is caused when the soft tissue at the rear of the throat or the tongue collapses and closes off the airway. The airway may also be blocked due to abnormalities in the soft tissues of the throat. In central apnea, the airway is not blocked but the brain fails to signal the muscles to breathe. Mixed apnea, as the name implies, is a combination of the two. With each apnea occurrence, the brain arouses the individual to resume breathing. Each arousal interrupts the normal sleep pattern which causes the individual to feel unrefreshed when they awaken in the morning.
If left untreated, sleep apnea can cause many problems including high blood pressure and other cardiovascular disease, heart attacks, strokes, learning and memory problems, weight gain, impotency and headaches. Additionally, there can be side-effects such as a compromised immune system, poor mental and emotional health and irritability.
The CPAP machine is the most widely recommended treatment for moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea. The CPAP consists of a mask-like device which provides continuous pressurized air to keep the airway from collapsing. Recent advancements have made the CPAP devices more comfortable, quieter and easy to transport.
There are some other alternatives available for treatment, but they are only intended for mild to moderate sleep apnea. One option is an oral device that is worn inside the mouth, similar to an athletic mouth guard. There is also a device that can be worn around the head and chin to adjust the position of the lower jaw. Side effects of oral devices can include soreness, permanent change to the position of the jaw, teeth and mouth, saliva build-up and nausea. The most extreme remedy is the option of surgery to remove tonsils, adenoids or excess tissue at the back of the throat or inside the nose.
If you do get a sleep study done and receive a diagnosis of sleep apnea, count yourself among the fortunate people who find out before it's too late. Now you have the opportunity to address this serious condition and start a treatment plan. It has been truly life-changing for me to start using a CPAP machine and wake up in the morning feeling refreshed and ready for the day. Once I addressed this problem, I had the energy and positive attitude needed to exercise regularly, be productive and improve my relationships.
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By: Suzanne Stewart July 11, 2010
I have been researching nutrition and preventative health for over 10 years. I have suffered from several health issues and through many trials and errors, successfully turned my health and the quality of my life around. I am very passionate about helping people to obtain the health, energy and vitality that everyone is entitled to have! Your life can improve and you can achieve your dreams!