There’s nothing like a good night’s rest, but 12 million Americans haven’t enjoyed a good night’s rest in years because they have sleep apnea. That is a fairly common condition where breathing repeatedly stops, however briefly, during sleep. People of both sexes and all ages get sleep apnea, especially men 40 years of age or older with a neck size of 17” or larger. Some of the indicators that you might have sleep apnea are: snoring, high blood pressure, frequent headaches, falling asleep during the day, and sometimes waking up gasping for air. Needless to say, sleep apnea can be a dangerous condition for several reasons. The heart has to work harder because blood oxygen levels are low. The result of this can be high blood pressure, heart enlargement or stroke. The sleep deprivation experienced during the night may cause the person to be irritable and groggy the next day, and performance on the job or behind the wheel is then adversely affected.

There are 3 kinds of sleep apnea:

• A physical blockage of the throat that causes the person to wake repeatedly throughout the night to breathe is known as Obstructive Sleep Apnea. The blockage can be caused by a deviated septum, a long soft palate/uvula, poor muscle tone in the tongue and throat, and even a stuffy or blocked nose.
• A neurological disorder where the brainstem center that controls breathing just shuts down is known as Central Sleep Apnea, and
• A combination of the two is called Mixed Apnea. This usually begins as the neurological apnea, but then becomes the physical type. When the physical obstruction is remedied the neurological aspect usually improves too.

When a doctor diagnoses a person with sleep apnea there are a few things they can do before resorting to surgery and other drastic medical interventions. There are more than 300 devices registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office that are intended to be snoring cures. Lately the adhesive strips that are applied to the outside of the nose have come into favor, although it has not been proven that they are effective all the time. Also, there are various devices that keep a person from sleeping on the back, because it is thought that side sleeping is better for prevention of snoring. It is wise to lose weight because about 50-60% of obese people have obstructive sleep apnea. Apparently the excess weight/fat deposits in the neck make it more likely to collapse, and extra weight in the abdomen affects the way you breathe. Also, avoid alcohol in the evening because it depresses the breathing reflexes. Big snacks or meals late at night cause the muscles to slacken. Sleeping pills may not only cause you to sleep, but also to snore because they relax your neck muscles. If you are a smoker try quitting, so lung capacity can return to normal. Many medications interfere with normal breathing, so check with the prescribing doctor to see if there’s an alternate available.

There are a variety of surgeries available if the apnea is causing extreme fatigue or high blood pressure etc. A child who snores may need to have tonsils and adenoids out. There is a surgery (UPPP) that expands airways by tightening flabby tissues. Another procedure (TAP) uses a laser to remove the obstruction from the airway. Surgery to pull tongue muscles forward may be needed to open the obstructed airway. Besides the risk involved in surgery, some experts put the success rate only at 50%, so often times people choose the route that does not involve surgery. However, the breathing assistance device that is employed requires sleeping with a nasal mask that delivers air pressure into the throat (CPAP and variations on it). As with any new technology, the device requires getting used to, and adjustments in the fit must be made to ensure optimum benefit. It is generally agreed that after the initial “getting acquainted” period, a person becomes so energetic and full of life that they wonder why they ever balked at the idea of being attached to a machine during the nighttime hours.

Endnotes

http://www.menshealth.com/cda/article/0,6916,s1-3-0-0-618,00.html

http://www.newtechpub.com/phantom/faq/osa_faq.htm

http://www.entnet.org/healthinfo/snoring/index.cfm

http://www.newtechpub.com/sleep/apnea/faq/index.html#who

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