Sleep Apnea Is Both A Widespread and Occasionally Fatal Sleep Disorder
Sleep apnea is probably the commonest of all sleep disorders and affects in the region of eighteen million people in the US. A sleeping disorder characterized by interrupted breathing while sleeping, it is also indisputably the most dangerous of sleep disorders as it starves the brain of vital oxygen and sometimes proves fatal.
There are two very distinct forms of sleep apnea. Central sleep apnea is in effect a neurological disorder in which breathing is interrupted because of signals sent out by the brain. Obstructive sleep apnea is essentially a mechanical problem where the windpipe is blocked either by excessive tissue or by the abnormal relaxation or collapse of muscle tissue around the windpipe. In both cases however the results are effectively identical with regular interruptions to normal breathing that deprive the brain of oxygen and put sufferers at heightened risk from such things as hypertension, stroke and heart attack.
Sadly, diagnosing sleep apnea can prove difficult because snoring, which is one of its commonest symptoms and frequently leads to sleep apnea being known as the snoring disease, is also present as a symptom of various medical problems. Snoring is normally seen in cases of sleep apnea because the brain counters a lack of oxygen by waking the sufferer sufficiently to restart breathing and this usually produces snoring.
This recurrent awakening through the night also results in a poor quality of sleep and it is not at all uncommon for sleep apnea sufferers to wake up in the morning feeling more tired than they were when they got into bed. This also leads to feelings of sheer exhaustion during the day and an overpowering desire to sleep.
But, tiredness resulting from a poor quality of sleep is only part of the picture and a variety of other symptoms will almost certainly be present including morning headaches, a lack of memory and a problem in concentrating.
Left untreated the mounting exhaustion resulting from sleep apnea may produce major psychological problems starting with irritability and progressing to depression with noticeable changes in both behavior and mood.
Both central sleep apnea and obstructive sleep apnea can be treated and, provided the condition is caught at an early stage, treatment can often be relatively simple. For example, mild cases of obstructive sleep apnea arising out of nasal congestion can normally be treated with nothing more than decongestants. In the same way, a lot of cases of sleep apnea that are not particularly severe can be treated with a mask that is worn during sleep and which delivers a constant pressure of air to keep the airway open. Finally, in the most severe cases surgery might be required and can be extremely effective, though it could also produce a number of complications and must be considered with caution.
Perhaps the most important thing to remember when treating sleep apnea is that because it carries the potential risk of respiratory failure sufferers ought not to be tempted to use sleeping pills or to take other forms of artificial sleep enhancers without first seeking the approval of a doctor.
Natural sleep remedies without question provide an effective complement to prescribed treatments and herbs that are designed to improve the duration and quality of sleep may well be of assistance in the management of the excessive daytime sleepiness generally accompanying sleep apnea. Similarly, such things as chromatherapy, aromatherapy and guided relaxation and meditation can help in reducing the anxiety and insomnia which accompany sleep apnea.
Tags: sleep, sleep apnea, sleep apnea symptoms, sleep apnea treatment, sleep apnia, sleep disorders, snoring
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