Sleep apnea is a disorder wherein there is an irregularity in breathing patterns while a person sleeps. This is a condition that instead of the normal deep and heavy breaths that a person should exhibit, one with this disorder experiences shallow breathing, or a complete pause from it causing a reduction in the air and oxygen flow in the body, affecting certain organs especially the brain. This leads to poor sleep quality, since deep sleeps are disrupted, making a person feel tired and perform poorly in daily activities. If left untreated, this disorder may lead to extreme fatigue, stroke, high blood pressure, diabetes, and arrhythmias or irregular heartbeats.
Most of the time, it goes untreated since it is a disorder that is hard to diagnose, having no blood tests that can detect the disorder. However, there are indexes that doctors use to detect this. One is the apnea-hypopnea index (AHI), which gives an overview of the severity of apnea such as disruptions and oxygen level decreases. The other index used is the respiratory index (RI), a similar method to the apnea-hypopnea index, this index includes the respiratory events that are not covered by the AHI.
Once diagnosed, sleep apnea can be classified into three major types. The first is obstructive, the most common of the three; it is caused by an obstruction or blockage in the airway. This blockage is a collapsing or relaxation of the soft tissue and muscles in the airway causing an obstruction in the airflow during breathing. The second type is central, a less common type involving the central nervous system. In this type, there is no obstruction in the airway but the irregularity in breathing patterns is caused by the brain failing to signal the respiratory muscles to execute breathing due to respiratory control center instability. The last type is complex or mixed. This type is defined as having both obstructive and central characteristics.
Difficult as it may be to be diagnosed, there are a few common signs and symptoms to detect this disorder in people, note that if a person if found to exhibit these signs, medical attention should be given to the person:
Daytime sleepiness regardless of hours asleepLoud, chronic snoringLong pauses in breathingGasping, snorting, or choking during sleepRestless or fitful sleepWaking up feeling out of breathInsomnia or nighttime awakenings
It is usually caused by a number of factors such as being overweight, old age, smoking, and physical attributes like having a thick neck, enlarged tonsils, or a receding chin. Allergies and other nasopharyngeal conditions are also found to be a cause of this disorder.
Although it is a serious condition, sleep apnea is easy to treat. You can also reduce the risk of getting this disorder by losing weight, quitting smoking, regular sleeping hours, and avoiding alcohol, caffeine, and eating heavy meals two hours before going to bed. Some home remedies and tips include sleeping on your side, propping your head up, and using nasal dilators or breathing strips to open your nasal passages.
If you or someone you know suffers from sleep apnea and you would like to find out more about it. Visit the Sleep Apnea Testing center and learn more!
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Lara Rosa
Health and Fitness Article FeedFind More ArticlesSearchSimilar ArticlesSuffer From Snoring Or Sleep Apnea? Find Relief TodayRecent ArticlesBotox and Our Fascination With YouthLiposuction - What Is It?Subjects You Must Know To Work In Medical Billing and CodingWhat Is a Leaky Gut?Getting a Sports Physical FastA Career in Health Care Is a Dream Job in Today's EconomyBuying a Hearing Aid: What You Should Be Aware OfCan a Hearing Aid Help You?Buying a Hearing Aid: When to Exercise CautionDiet, Exercise, and ConsistencySubmitted On April 18, 2012. Viewed 12 times. Word count: 508.MLA Style Citation:Rosa, Lara".".18 Apr. 2012EzineArticles.com.25 Apr. 2012
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