SLEEP APNIA | SLEEP APNEA | FIND OUT HOW TO CURE SLEEP APNEA

Sleep Apnea Symptoms: Winning the Hide-And-Seek Game may not be tough

2011-10-17T16:04:00.001-07:00

You could call sleep apnea a treacherous ailment considering that most of the tell-tale sleep apnea symptoms are known to play hide-and-seek with the patient, since they appear mostly during sleep. This ends up making it doubly difficult for him or her to report the condition and get proper treatment.

But there is still hope at the end of the tunnel. This article will elaborate on how to get quick and assured relief from these elusive signs with the use of appropriate apnea devices.

Signs: are they too tough to catch?

The elusive nature of the manifestations of this disorder it one of the most undiagnosed and untreated sleep disorders. It usually takes the bed partner to notice the distress that the patient is experiencing before seeking medical advice.

This does not meant the symptoms remain in hiding forever. Sooner or later they become apparent to the patient.

What the bed partner notices:

- Persistent snoring problem that does not respond to any conventional remedy.

- Restlessness during sleep; patient wakes up frequently during the night.

- Snoring is interspersed with intermittent moments of silence when the patient seems to stop breathing.

- Choking and gasping during sleep

Signs noticed by the sufferer:

- Rapid and unexplained weight gain

- Excessive daytime sleepiness

- Mood deterioration including depression, irritability

- Frequent urination at night

- Finding it tough to concentrate

- Bad memory

- Lack of appetite

Sleep apnea devices - viable option for quick relief

Every apnea patient is desperate to breathe normally as quickly and as efficiently as possible. To meet this need, there is nothing as effective and reliable as CPAP or Continuous Positive Airway Pressure therapy, for the management of mild to moderate conditions. It primarily provides artificial ventilation by keeping the airway open on a continuous basis during sleep and does not allow it to collapse.

However, this therapy is not found suitable by many patients. For them, the American Academy of Sleep Medicine suggests the use of apnea dental devices. Also known as dental appliances, such methods provide quick and sustained relief from breathing distress during sleep.

Patients are currently using two types of dental appliances:

- Mandibular (related to jaw) Advancement Device or MAD: Such an appliance brings the lower jaw forward and keeps it down slightly. This keeps the air passage open during sleep. They look like mouth guards used during sporting events.

- Tongue Retaining Device or TRD: This splint retains the tongue back and prevents it from falling back during sleep and keeps the airway open.

Points to note:

- Such appliances are known to bring relief not just in mild to moderate cases but also in severe conditions as well.

- Expected reduction of risks for developing hear diseases, even stroke, which are two likely consequences of this disorder.

- A physician and a dentist should examine the patient for compatibility before such an appliance is used.

Working principle

Repositioning the lower jaw, tongue, soft palate and the hyoid bone is the primary function of these appliances. This action prevents the tongue and jaw from slipping backwards during sleep. Soft tissues are toughened to prevent collapse and blockage.

One needs to feel completely comfortable after wearing such appliances. Thus to get the best fit, it is better to have them custom-made by an orthodontist, for perfect matching with the inner contours of the mouth.

Relief is on the way...

One of the assured means to get quick and sustainable relief from the disabling sleep apnea symptoms is to opt for dental appliances. They keep the airway open during sleep so that you can expect to breathe normally and get a good nights' rest.

Use These Special Tips To Overcome Insomnia

2010-09-23T09:15:00.000-07:00

Suffering from difficulty falling to sleep or remaining able to remain asleep is insomnia, and can happen to a lot of individuals at times. The loss of a single night's rest may result in very poor concentration and performance the following day, yet is otherwise not a need for concern if it really is because of a short-term situation, like tending to a sick family member. However, frequent insomnia that happens three or more times a week may eventually cause problems with both physical as well as mental health.

Despite the fact that there are actually no identified cases of sleeplessness causing death, the body should have rest for renewal and constant sleeplessness will hinder this process, leading to fatigue which will negatively impact normal routines. There's no call for any individual to continue to suffer from this likely debilitating condition, as there are lots of methods to help overcome insomnia.

The first move to overcome insomnia is to investigate the root cause. One of the most frequent types of insomnia in the present busy world is brought about by anxiety, stress or worry. This can frequently produce problems shutting off the thought processes that persist to be troubled about the following day's difficulties or schedule.

When this happens, get up quickly and make a written record of everything on your mind, go back to bed and allow your mind to rest, knowing the list will be there to assist you to tackle the difficulties needing to be resolved the next day. Do not attempt to force sleep, just allow yourself to rest because you've done all you can until tomorrow.

When problems with sleeping is brought about by pain or some other physical discomfort, like heartburn, deal with this previous to trying to sleep. For serious or persistent conditions, a visit to a physician may perhaps be essential, but help can typically be provided by non-prescription remedies, like topical lotions, antacids or the numerous obtainable pain alleviating medications. If sleeplessness is triggered by outside issues, for instance noise or light, this could be readily cured. If any kind of light is troubling you, stop it by using room darkening curtains. In the event that your partner snores, attempt relocating to a different room or try out some of the anti-snoring products offered. Frequently, the use of white noise, like operating a fan or even soft music may block out disturbing noises.

You will discover various well established suggestions to help overcome insomnia that are quickly implemented into your lifestyle. It's necessary to establish a regular bedtime mainly because the human body likes routine and usually adjusts to regular behaviors. The bedroom will need to be set aside for rest only, certainly not for viewing TV or working on the laptop. It may perhaps be helpful to read a book, but don't pick an exciting page turner. Move the alarm clock out of sight so you will not constantly be thinking about exactly how late it is and stressing about not falling to sleep.

Should you lead a comparatively inactive lifestyle, several minutes of light exercise or stretching about 30 minutes before bedtime may help your body come to be completely ready for sleep. A warm beverage just before bed will have a relaxing effect, but choose mainly milk or herbal tea, not a drink that contains caffeine, which is way too stimulative, or alcohol, which can make you drowsy, but typically leads to interrupted rest, waking you right after the alcohol has become metabolized. A modest snack before bed might be beneficial, but make it a protein snack, for example a boiled egg, cottage cheese or even nuts, specifically cashews, which include an amino acid conducive to sleep. The dietary supplement Melatonin might also help establish regular sleep habits.

Upon implementing these suggestions, give your body time to adjust to the brand new routines. Nevertheless, if insomnia continues to be a difficulty, consult with a medical professional for further guidance or support and if sleeping pills are prescribed, utilize them sparingly, as they may be very addicting and don't offer the same regenerative powers of normal sleep.

Exercising Regularly As A Cure For Insomnia

2010-09-22T09:18:00.000-07:00

In treating insomnia, it's advisable that you change the behavior of your sleep. Getting the perfect cure requires a series of step by step procedures to help you find the rest you need. Sometimes, people with insomnia use cures with negative side effects and other problems.

If you have insomnia then using more energy can seem an impossible task. Look for a daily basis for insomnia cures may add in the lack of energy that you wear all day, leaving you with more problems than before. However, most say that you use the exercises in an assured way to get a natural medicine for your needs. This will modify your stiff in an improved condition of being, and offer more comfort and balance in your body. If you exercise, you can work your body in a different way. This allows your body to an invitation to work differently in each system. They will also be talented to vary the quantity of fluid that moves through your body, so that you catch in unusual parts of the body the true quantity of hormones and nutrients. This way, your health will improve as they will suggest you a common solution, which is connected directly to the treatment of sleep disorders.

It also improves how your body processes your bodily fluids, making the proper parts of your body receive the fluids it need so that you get the proper nutrition. As your body improves, your sleep disorder will eventually be cured. If you find it hard to exercise because you're tired during the day, then start with short exercises.

For instance, start by walking a short five minutes each day to start you on your way. Start with basic exercises like stretching. Starting with the basics can gear you up on the way to healing naturally. You only need to have the willpower to do these natural cures for insomnia. Understanding the benefits of exercising and doing it will guarantee a natural and safe way to cure insomnia.

Honey can offer you a good rest and sleep is a fact. To achieve this insomnia relief, simply take two teaspoons of honey to a cup of water. Drinking every night and it would set your body into a condition of almost perfect leisure. The best time to drink except for a few minutes before bedtime.

Sleep apnea is described as having lapses in breathing while a person is asleep. It stems from the Greek word apnea that when translated is "no breathing". It is a normal condition, with the breathing interval in older people as more than ten seconds, and more than 2.5 seconds for children.

Sleeping Problems - Learn Extra About This Widespread Downside

2010-07-09T05:18:00.001-07:00

The time period "sleeping issues" is normally associated with sleepwalking and insomnia or incapability to sleep. Sleeping problems are frequent in in the present day's society. As per Wikipedia, there are around 14 sorts of sleeping disorders beginning with twitching in the eyes to restlessness within the legs.

Sleeping disorder is a feature of the modern times brought on by stress, drug abuse, alcoholism, smoking, drastic changes in way of life, and poor consuming habits, along with lack of proper bodily activity. Usually, folks sleep for around six to eight hours. The maximum variety of hours an individual sleeps is ten hours. If you do not get the required amount of sleep, your immune system will turn out to be weak, and this in flip can lead to all sorts of medical and health problems.

Narcolepsy: One of many extra serious and dangerous of the sleep disorders; those who endure from Narcolepsy could go to sleep while performing regular actions akin to speaking or driving. It's characterized by an uncontrollable urge to sleep regardless of how a lot rest you might have gotten the night before.

Insomnia: Restlessness or an lack of ability to fall asleep. This can be mild and occasional or extreme and reoccurring.

Sleep Apnea: This is likely one of the other extra worrisome of the sleep disorders. This disorder's sleep symptom will be somewhat horrifying since it entails a pause or cease in respiratory while asleep.These are however just a handful of the a number of the more widely known sleep problems; nonetheless, there are dozens of others that you could be want to study about.

Individuals affected by narcolepsy, a sort of sleeping dysfunction, have to bear a special type of check by which the exercise of their mind is monitored to determine their peak sleeping points. On account of their drawback, narcoleptics can't work on machinery-related jobs that require a high diploma of awareness and alertness.

Treatments:
Sleep problems have quite a lot of therapies from utilizing aromatherapy oils blended to aid sleep, for instance by utilizing one of the sleep mists which you can spray your linens with before you go to bed that will help you relax. A wide range of natural treatments utilizing chamomile and other herbs may be effective. When stress and nervousness is inflicting the disorder's sleep symptom, learning rest and stress management strategies can often have an ideal effect in your ability to get a lot needed sleep. Some problems are more extreme and may require medication and treatment by a physician. So when you really feel that you are suffering from a sleep problem and one of the customary cures don't appear to assist, consult your well being care provider.

Why Sleep Issues May Be More Dangerous Than You May Think

2010-06-30T05:08:00.001-07:00

By Sarah Sealey

Insomnia is usually not a deadly disease, although it can be dangerous. Not getting an adequate amount of rest may be dangerous when operating cars or trucks or other machinery and can even bring about additional medical problems. Physicians advise that we get eight hours of sleep a night for a reason.

Studies show that up to 200,000 car accidents in the U.S. are attributable to sleep-deprived drivers every year, and that 1,500 of those accidents end in death. Studies also indicate that around one third of Americans have admitted to falling asleep while driving a car, and that 10% of the incidents ended in an automobile accident. People who suffer from chronic sleepiness (insomnia or a different sleep problem) are more likely to fall asleep while driving than people who have regular sleep habits.

You might be surprised to learn that your sleep habits could have an influence on how long you live. A study done in 2002 shows that people that sleep around seven hours each night have the highest lifespan, whereas people who slept six hours or less, or eight hours or more had shorter life spans. Sleep loss by itself doesn't make you have a higher mortality rate, but this same research revealed that people who took sleeping pills did have a higher death rate.

Not surprisingly, your sleep habits can have a significant impact on your quality of life. People who have insomnia could have a quality of life that is nearly as bad as people who have chronic health conditions, such as heart problems. That's because individuals who have insomnia experience more fatigue, irritability, and poorer relationships with their family and friends compared to people who get enough rest. Insomniacs also have more attention and memory difficulties, which often lead to more mistakes at the office. All of these put together can definitely result in a decline in your quality of life.

Insomnia is capable of having a significant impact on your disposition (you know you are grumpy when you do not get plenty of sleep). But it may also lead to depression or other psychological issues. Sleep disorders and psychological problems are so related that often treating a person for insomnia might minimize or even remedy their emotional issues.

As you can see, insomnia will surely take a toll on your body. A sleep disorder can do more than make us tired, it can result in accidents or even severe health concerns down the road. If you suffer from sleep problems for more than a few nights or a few weeks, you ought to go to a doctor to get sleep treatments and also to make sure that there are no other health conditions triggering your sleeplessness.

About the Author:

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A Few Quick Tips On How To Treat Chronic Insomnia

2010-06-23T05:48:00.001-07:00

By Bill Johnson

We all suffer from the odd sleepless night every will again, but if this happens on a consistent basis then you might have a condition known as chronic insomnia. Insomnia is something that can seriously affect your entire life, and as such it will be important for you to take steps to get over it. With this in mind, here are a few tips on how you might be able to get through the problem.

One thing to do is to make sure that your bedroom is place of rest. Avoid using your bedroom for anything other than sleep so that your body and mind can get used to your bedroom simply being used for this purpose. As such, it is important that you do not watch television in bed, read in bed, or do anything else there that will cause your mind to have distractions when you try to use your bedroom in order to sleep.

It is also a very good idea to try to create and maintain a specific sleeping pattern and schedule that you are able to stick with. If you are able to get up at the same time each morning and get at the same time each night and this will help your body to get caught in a habit that it is unlikely to break out of.

You should also make some lifestyle changes if you want to treat the problem. If you are someone who smokes frequently, cut down on nicotine. If you are someone who drinks a lot then cut down on your alcohol consumption. If you drink a lot of coffee and high levels of caffeine, cut down on this as well. All of these things can cause you to have trouble sleeping and therefore you should cut down on any habits that you might have that will lead to insomnia.

It is also a good idea to get some exercise every single morning. Exercising in the morning hours will help to get your metabolism and will become your system and therefore this is a great way of starting the day in a very positive fashion. Make sure that you do not exercise, however, in the evening hours, particularly just a few hours before you go to bed.

It is also a good idea to reduce your stress levels as much as you can as well. Stress is something that will have a very negative effect upon you in many ways and it can certainly cause your insomnia to worsen. It is therefore a good idea to look into different relaxation techniques that will help you to reduce your stress levels.

Of course, you can also look into taking different medications that will help you sleep as well. There are all sorts of different over-the-counter medications that you could consider, and in addition to this you might want to go to see your doctor who may be able to prescribe you with some more powerful sleeping pills as well.

These are just a few tips that you should consider if you are trying to cure your chronic insomnia.

About the Author:

Insomnia is hard to say the least. Sleep loss is not something anyone deserves to deal with and you need to get the solution quickly so you can get back on track. Would you like the solution now?

SNORING CAN HAVE HIDDEN DANGERS

2009-11-13T02:59:00.000-08:00

As any snorer or, more likely, their family member or roommate may wonder, what is best how to prevent snoring method ? Snoring comes from some sort of slight blockage in the respiratory tract. The resultant sound can be minor or it can be loud enough to remove paint from the walls. It is most often observed that uvula and soft palate are someway part of the noise. Snoring has been isolated to some of these factors:

If you see a cartoon or an old Three Stooges short with everyone snoring, you surely will enjoy a laugh. But snoring is no laughing matter. If you share a house with a loud snorer, you will lose sleep and it will become a topic of not so polite conversation.

It probably involves pillows being thrown at heads and invitations to sleep on the couch. This can lead to the victim losing sleep and being exhausted all day. But this actually the less serious side of snoring. Snoring can also be a side of sleep apnea.

Do not think that snoring is to be taken lightly, it can have a major affect on your life. Another reason that you should figure how to prevent snoring? Studies have shown that loud snoring can be correlated with a higher incidence of stroke. The vibration of loud snoring affects the carotid artery blood flow along the airway. When the blood cells in this area are irritated, it hastens the onset of atherosclerosis.

Ordinarily, snoring is acknowledged by a companion or partner who observes the patient sleeping. Besides the 'noise' of snoring, more complicated conditions such as sleep apnia can be consistent with the symptom of snoring. A sleep study can identify such issues. Patients can also assess their own condition to determine the likelihood of such problems based on the severity of their sleeping difficulties.

So now you have another reason to stop change these habits or the habits that lead to this problem. If you have developed snoring issues since you took up these habits, you should figure best how to prevent snoring by getting rid of these habits.

The Times of Londons resident doctor, Mark Porter, has studied the social affects of snoring and they are not pretty. Snorers have less romantic liaisons and difficulty in relationships. Snorers also do not sleep soundly, which can cause high blood pressure and related heart problems. Now think best how to prevent snoring.

Another reason to consider finding some snoring cures is that the Times of London resident doctor has looked at the physical affects of snoring. Snorers wake themselves up during sleeping. This leads to exhaustion which, in turn leads to high blood pressure. He also found that this affects relationships and their sex lives.

The Times also says that all those bad habits that you are always warned about: smoking, overeating, and over indulging are also contributing to your snoring problem. If you get these under control, you may have found best how to prevent snoring. However, if you feel that the problem is more severe like sleep apnea, see a professional.

Learn about sleep deprivation

2008-10-31T12:28:00.001-07:00

A sleep disorder (somnipathy) is any disruption in the sleep patterns of an individual. While some sleep disorders may leave you feeling unrefreshed, a number of symptoms are more severe including excessive sleepiness, snor¬ing, difficulty falling asleep during normal sleeping hours and abnormal be¬haviors such as restless leg syndrome. There are even disorders that cause you to get too much sleep.

Particular behaviors during normal daytime activities are telltale signs of sleep deprivation. If you are experiencing one or more of the following symptoms during the day, you may not be getting enough restful sleep at night, and you may even have a sleep disorder.

If you suspect that you are not getting enough sleep or that you might have a sleep disorder, speak to your physician or a sleep specialist. If your health care professional feels that you may have a sleep disorder they may ask that you keep a sleep diary, or they may even have you stay overnight at a sleep center for observation.

There are over 100 different types of sleep disorders.

Disturbance in the amount, timing, or quality of sleep. Dyssomnias result in excessive daytime sleepiness or an inability to fall asleep or stay asleep. Dyssomnias can originate from causes inside or outside the body.

• Insomnia
• Narcolepsy
• Inability to stay awake (hypersomnia)
• Sleep apnea
• Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS)
• Periodic Limb Movement in Sleep (PLMS)
• Circadian rhythm sleep disorder

Disorders of partial arousal from sleep, or disorders that interfere with sleep stage transitions. Behaviors not normally associated with sleeping may occur during sleep.
• Sleepwalking
• Sleep talking
• Nightmares
• Sleep terrors / night terrors
• Nocturnal leg cramps
• Sleep paralysis
• Grinding or clenching of the teeth (bruxism)
• Bedwetting
• Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS)

Sleep deprivation is highly treatable, and most individuals find that they experience relief from employing one or sometimes a combination of treatments. Mild to moderate sleep apnea can often be treated with behavioral modification, but most cases of sleep deprivation require a physician’s assistance to find the most effective treatment.

If sleep time isn't a good time for you, talk to your doctor or healthcare professional about your options. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) makes sure that people with sleep problems get the best medical care.
Sleep medicine is a recognized medical subspecialty. Doctors who specialize in sleep medicine help people who are unable to sleep well. Sleep doctors are able to detect and treat both common and rare sleep disorders. Some common sleep disorders are insomnia, jet lag, sleepwalking, snoring and obstructive sleep apnea.
The AASM accredits centers and labs that treat people who have sleep problems. In 1977 the AASM accredited the first sleep disorders center. The AASM also certifies behavioral sleep medicine (BSM) specialists. These doctors help people improve their sleep by changing how they think and behave.

APNEA CAUSES PEOPLE TO AWAKE TIRED

2008-10-19T20:05:00.001-07:00

As awareness of sleeep apnia mounts, suspected sufferers are spending their nights under an infrared camera's watchful eye in hundreds of so-called "sleep labs" across America, sensors dotting their skin and scalp.

Eleven o'clock is "lights out." At 11:02 sharp, Navarro yawns. A needle swings wildly on a monitor humming softly in the next room. At 11:10 p.m., Navarro turns onto his left side, and a half-dozen needles jerk in response.

This night will be like no other for Navarro, a 32-year-old computer programmer. For the next seven hours, his every breath, movement and heartbeat will be recorded as he spends the night in a sleep disorders laboratory.

He is here because doctors think he suffers from sleep apnea, a disorder marked by loud snoring and interrupted breathing. Once considered relatively obscure, sleep apnea is stirring increased concern among physicians because it can cause severe daytime fatigue, high blood pressure, stroke and heart problems; serious cases can be life-threatening.

A study published in the New England Journal of Medicine reported that sleep apnea is more common than once believed. The study found that 9% of women and 24% of men had sleep-disordered breathing; 2% of women and 4% of men in the middle-aged work force met the criteria for sleep apnea. That would make undiagnosed sleep apnea a major public health burden.

Depending on the severity of the apnea, treatment can include use of a night time face mask or even surgery. There's a less high-tech approach for those who snore or suffer apnea only while on their backs: sewing a tennis ball in the back of their pajamas tops so they will sleep on their sides instead.

Not surprisingly, roommates and spouses are often the first to spot potential apnea victims. Navarro is a longtime snorer; he can remember his college roommates waking him to request that he tone it down. His wife, Christine, grew worried when she noticed that he sometimes stopped breathing briefly during the night. She learned about sleep apnea from her doctor and urged her husband to get tested.

A video screen shows Navarro dozing peacefully. Pink computer paper moves steadily through the polysomnograph, a machine with 12 needles that records everything from his eye movements to heart contractions.

All night, monitors will record the needles' black tracks, paying special attention to those measuring Navarro's breathing. Sleep apnea victims have been known to stop breathing hundreds of times each night.

Wake up happy! Discover the proven sleep apnea treatments that guarantee a healthy and restful sleep! To grab your free report go to Best Sleep Apnea Treatments

HOW TO CHOOSE THE BEST TREATMENTS FOR SLEEP APNEA

2008-10-19T20:04:00.005-07:00

If you are suffering from sleep apnia, there are several treatments for it. An obvious next step is continuous positive airway pressure. Other treatments include oral and dental devices to keep your airway open. If all else fails, surgery is an option.

To assess snoring and other symptoms of sleep apnea, have the patient run a tape recorder to record the sounds he or she makes while sleeping. Snoring related to sleep apnea differs from innocuous snoring. Benign snoring has a very monotonous, repetitive sound, but intermittent quiet periods between the loud snoring noises may be indicative of apnea.

Symptoms of apnea indicate referral to a sleep disorder clinic for complete polysomnography, because the diagnosis and classification of apnea can be made only in this setting.

Treatment of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome is multifaceted. The first intervention is advice-the advice you would give anyone who wanted to control snoring:

Lose weight (if appropriate)
Sleep on the stomach or on a side, not on the back
Avoid alcohol at least 3-4 hours before retiring
Avoid pharmacologic sleep aids
Get enough hours of sleep each night.

An overnight polysomnogram is used to confirm the diagnosis and assess severity of physiologic disturbances. Initially, simple measures, such as avoidance of alcohol and sedatives before bedtime and sleeping on the side rather than the back, may be tried. Nasal continuous positive airway pressure is considered first-line therapy, and compliance can be improved by education and counseling of the patient.

A first-line medical treatment includes use of a nasal continuous positive air pressure (CPAP) device, which supplies pressure to the upper airway and prevents the airway from collapsing while the patient is asleep. The pressure appropriate for a given patient must be determined in a sleep laboratory.

Another procedure gaining popularity is uvulopalatopharyngoplastysurgical removal of redundant tissue from the soft palate. This procedure is most often used in patients who do not respond to CPAP because of a lack of patency in the upper air-way due to trauma, infections, or allergies. Uvulopalatopharyngoplasty is beneficial in only 50% of patients.

Tracheostomy gives the most consistent long-term benefit but is accompanied by significant emotional morbidity. Tracheostomy may be required for the 5% of patients whose apnea does not respond to other therapy.

Those patients may be able to clear their airway with a prescription dental device that holds the tongue in place or repositions the jaw. But those devices may also be uncomfortable, and they work much less reliably than the mask and pump.

A more effective alternative is surgery, which widens the airway by removing any flabby or enlarged tissue, making a groove in the back of the tongue, or sliding the jaw slightly forward.

SLEEP APNIA SYMPTOMS

2008-10-19T20:04:00.003-07:00

Sleep apnia, and chronic sleep deprivation and all their consequences, are America's largest invisible medical problem. The current effort is to make the invisible visible.

Is it possible to sleep eight hours and still wake up feeling exhausted? Yes--if you have a disorder called sleep apnea. Apnea means "absence of breath," and, according to the American Lung Association, a person who has sleep apnea stops breathing for at least ten seconds at a time repeatedly (sometimes hundreds of times) during the night.

In children, sleep apnea can contribute to Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). In adults, it can lead to a variety of problems including strokes and hypertension. And, because sufferers can have bouts of intense sleepiness during the day, sleep apnea may be at the root of many of the traffic accident deaths caused each year when people fall asleep at the wheels of their vehicles. Yet, medical experts acknowledge that the problem of sleep apnea has been largely ignored.

Sleep apnea needs to be diagnosed before it can be monitored or treated. Infants are classified as at risk for sleep apnea soon after birth; in fact, most infant apnea monitors are prescribed while the newborn is still in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). The doctor prescribes a "sleep monitor" to be used at home for several months. This device has an alarm that lets the caregiver know if the infant's cardiorespiratory rate has fallen outside the parameters set for that baby.

The procedure for adults is different. According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, a physician can diagnose sleep apnea and suggest treatment based on the patient's complaints of daytime sleepiness, insomnia, awareness of obstructed breathing during sleep, snoring, and headache or dry mouth on waking.

But, definitive diagnosis of sleep apnea can only be made after a test called polysomnography, which monitors multiple physiological parameters, has been performed. In most cases, the doctor sends the client directly to a sleep disorders center, also known as a sleep lab. Here the patient spends the night in a bedroom laboratory where his or her breathing pattern during sleep is evaluated.

Using a sleep diagnostic system, various skin sensors are attached to monitor physiological variables such as nose/mouth airflow, breathing pattern, heart rhythms, oxygen level, and muscle activity.

A trained technician, called a registered polysomnographic technologist (RPSGT), monitors these measurements and the patient's sleep habits continuously. The results are then evaluated by a physician specially trained in sleep disorders.

SLEEP APNEA OFTEN STRIKES PREMATURE BABIES

2008-10-19T20:04:00.001-07:00

Apnea is sometimes misunderstood to be a precursor of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). But children with apnea rarely die. And there is no evidence that a baby with sleep apnia is at greater risk for SIDS.

Layne Melzer awoke around 8 a.m. Jan. 6 and looked at his 6-week-old son, Shane, beside him. Most mornings, it was the baby who roused him at dawn with lusty yells for food, so Melzer was surprised to find Shane still asleep. Then he took a closer look. Shane's skin was dusky, and he did not seem to be breathing. Melzer jiggled him tentatively, but the baby did not rouse. His color was darker now. Bluish.

Yelling to his wife to call 911, Melzer grabbed Shane and shook him -- hard this time. The baby's eyes opened at one point, but his gaze was blank.

Frantically trying to recall resuscitation techniques, Melzer put his mouth over Shane's and puffed twice. Then he turned the baby over and slapped him on the back. He slapped him again, and then a third time. Suddenly Shane gulped for air and began to cry. A moment later, the rescue squad arrived.

The crisis, though, was far from over. By noon, Shane was admitted to Childrens Hospital of Orange County with a tentative diagnosis of severe apnea.

The term apnea comes from the Latin words a and pneuma, which means without air. Medically, it refers to pauses in breathing.

The main consequence of apnea is damage to the brain and heart because of repeated periods of inadequate oxygen. A baby with untreated apnea can, in later years, exhibit learning and behavioral problems, even cerebral palsy, associated with brain damage. Shane Melzer's problem was central apnea, exacerbated by a viral infection.

Shane's breathing pauses were found to be frequent, long and responsible for repeated episodes of bradycardia -- the medical term for an abnormally slow heart rate. He met all the criteria for a diagnosis of severe apnea. Two days after being admitted to CHOC, he was transferred to the intensive care unit.

He just got worse. At 3:30 the morning following his transfer, the Melzers were awakened by a call from a doctor in the unit. Shane's apnea was so bad that he now required the assistance of a respirator to survive, the doctor told them. But Shane was fortunate to be in a hospital with expertise in the treatment of apnea.

Shane's apnea has caused no more trouble. His breathing pauses have never been severe enough to trigger the monitor, his parents report, and in every other respect, he is thriving.

Wake up happy! Discover the proven sleep apnea treatments that guarantee a healthy and restful sleep! To grab your free report go to Best Sleep Apnea Treatments

SLLEEP APNIA CAN BE DEADLY IF NOT DIAGNOSED

2008-10-18T17:09:00.003-07:00

Although vastly under diagnosed and virtually untreated, sleep apnia can contribute to high blood pressure, cardiovascular problems and strokes. It also can be deadly.

In one study, Stanford University researchers looked at 159 truck drivers. They found that 79 percent had sleep apnea, and many were unable to control when they fell asleep driving. In another study looking at accidents in which drivers fell asleep at the wheel, 87 percent of the drivers died, taking with them one or two other people.

Men suffer from the condition almost three times more often than women, , in part because of anatomical differences in the upper airways. But because many women who suffer from it are post-menopausal, there is some speculation it also may be hormone-related, he said.

The most common and severe form of sleep apnea is obstructive sleep apnea. In many cases, it's caused by sagging muscles at the base of the throat, enlarged tonsils, a small airway opening or a large tongue, according to the American Medical Association Encyclopedia of Medicine. In about 20 percent of cases, being overweight is a major cause of the problem.

Obstructing the airway makes breathing labored and causes loud snoring. If there is complete blockage, the breathing stops altogether and the sleeper is briefly silent. This makes the diaphragm and chest muscles work harder; the sleeper gasps and briefly awakes as breathing is started again.

In central sleep apnea, the airway is opened but the diaphragm and chest muscles don't work, perhaps because of a disturbance in the brain's regulation of breathing during sleep, according to the AMA encyclopedia.

If you suspect you're suffering from sleep apnea, talk to your doctor, who may refer you to a lab where your sleep can be monitored. Losing weight and avoiding alcohol before bedtime may help. Wearing a mask attached to an air compressor that forces oxygen into the airway is an effective treatment for severe cases. And surgery that removes excess tissue from the throat is another possibility.

First think through what you want from the doctor and make it clear to him or her. For instance, if you go to the doctor with lower back pain and your blood pressure is high, your doctor may concentrate on treating the blood pressure because it's potentially life-threatening. However you should make it clear the back pain is still something you want treated. Second, ask questions. Studies show patients who ask questions do better, he said.

Third, be honest about what you can and can't do. If you can't take your medicine four times a day, tell the doctor. Maybe he can give it to you in another form. If you can't diet or exercise, it's important the doctor knows this, too.

Wake up happy! Discover the proven sleep apnea treatments that guarantee a healthy and restful sleep! To grab your free report go to Best Sleep Apnea Treatments

ARE SIDS AND SLEEP APNEA RELATED?

2008-10-18T17:09:00.001-07:00

A study suggests that sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) might be more common in families that suffer from the adult sleeping disorder sleep apnia.

Though the cause of SIDS remains mysterious, new evidence supports the idea that both disorders are caused by a narrowed upper airway resulting from the way the skull is formed, a characteristic that is inherited.

The study compared the number of SIDS cases in 29 families with sleep apnea and 35 families without sleep apnea. Researchers had families fill out questionnaires about the incidence of infant death. Subjects provided data from four generations of each family so that 352 sleep apnea family members and 408 control family members were covered.

The families prone to sleep apnea -- in which breathing stops for short periods during sleep and can lead to snoring or disturbed sleep -- reported eight unexplained infant deaths. The control families reported no unexplained, unexpected infant deaths, although one infant had died of mother-child blood-type incompatibility. Two of the sleep apnea families reported more than one SIDS death. In one case, a pair of twins had died without explanation. When researchers examined the facial structure of four of the six families that reported SIDS death, they found the shapes were significantly different from the normal families.

The results suggest that SIDS and adult sleep apnea are associated and that both could result from obstructive apnea due to facial structure narrowing the upper airway.

Sleep apnea runs in families. Other work has suggested that certain families may be at higher risk for SIDS, although like most things about SIDS, this remains debated. It is a thorny issue. The idea has been that sleep apnea may be the final common pathway of SIDS, but not necessarily the cause. The problem with SIDS research is that no one has ever witnessed a SIDS death which makes it hard to figure out how to prevent sids.

In children who often appear tired or have trouble staying awake in school, check for potential obstructive apnea caused by abnormally large adenoids or tonsils.

Another study that found that babies considered at high risk of SIDS -- those who had stopped breathing and were by chance found and resuscitated -- had a higher chance of having a father with sleep apnea-like symptoms. This could support the idea that sleep apnea is related to SIDS. But how they are related and whether it is causative is another question.

Wake up happy! Discover the proven sleep apnea treatments that guarantee a healthy and restful sleep! To grab your free report go to Best Sleep Apnea Treatments

SLEEP APNIA CAUSES AND SIDE EFFECTS

2008-10-07T13:06:00.001-07:00

In sleep apnia, with each period of breathlessness (as many as twenty in an hour) the carbon dioxide level in the blood rises and there is a corresponding decrease in the blood oxygen levels. This, along with the stress and the struggle to draw breath, puts a strain on the heart.
Central apnea is caused by the temporary cessation of the message from the brain that tells the diaphragm to breathe. When a person suffers from a combination of obstructive and central apnea, it's called mixed sleep apnea, and is by far the most difficult to treat and control.

In pure central sleep apnea, the brain's respiratory control centers are imbalanced during sleep. Blood levels of carbon dioxide, and the neurological feedback mechanism that monitors it does not react quickly enough to maintain an even respiratory rate, with the entire system cycling between apnea and hyperpnea, even during wakefulness. The sleeper stops breathing, and then starts again. There is no effort made to breathe during the pause in breathing: there are no chest movements and no struggling. After the episode of apnea, breathing may be faster (hyperpnea) for a period of time; a compensatory mechanism to blow off retained waste gases and absorbs more oxygen.

While sleeping, a normal individual is "at rest", as far as cardiovascular workload is concerned. Breathing is regular in a healthy person during sleep, and oxygen levels and carbon dioxide levels in the bloodstream stay fairly constant. The respiratory drive is so strong that even conscious efforts to hold one's breath do not overcome it. Any sudden drop in oxygen or excess of carbon dioxide (even if tiny) strongly stimulates the brain's respiratory centers to breathe.

In central sleep apnea, the basic neurological controls for breathing rate malfunctions and fails to give the signal to inhale, causing the individual to miss one or more cycles of breathing. If the pause in breathing is long enough, the percentage of oxygen in the circulation will drop to a lower than normal level (hypoxia) and the concentration of carbon dioxide will build to a higher than normal level (hypercapnia). In turn, these conditions of hypoxia and hypercapnia will trigger additional effects on the body. Brain cells need constant oxygen to live; and, if the level of blood oxygen goes low enough for long enough, the consequences of brain damage and even death will occur. Fortunately, central sleep apnea is more often a chronic condition that causes much milder effects than sudden death. The exact effects of the condition will depend on how severe the apnea is, and the individual characteristics of the person having the apnea.

In any person, hypoxia and hypercapnia have certain common effects on the body. The heart rate will increase, unless there are such severe co-existing problems with the heart muscle itself or the autonomic nervous system that makes this compensatory increase impossible. The more translucent areas of the body will show a bluish or dusky cast from cyanosis, which is the change in hue that occurs due to lack of oxygen in the blood ("turning blue"). Overdoses of drugs that are respiratory depressants (such as heroin, and other opiates) kill by damping the activity of the brain's respiratory control centers. In central sleep apnea, the effects of sleep alone can remove the brains' mandate for the body to breathe. Even in severe cases of central sleep apnea, the effects almost always result in pauses that make breathing irregular, rather than cause the total cessation of breathing.

Sleep apnia can cause high blood pressure, depression, heart problems and in some cases sudden death. If you think that you or anyone in your family has sleep apnea, a visit to your family physician is highly recommended.

SLEEP APNEA SYMPTOMS IN CHILDREN

2008-07-23T11:17:00.000-07:00

Sleep apnia does not always affect adults. It can be a problem for children as well. Here are some of the symptoms of sleep apnea to look out for in children:

Children younger than 5 years old might have sleep apnea if you notice them snoring, sweating, waking up more than normal, breathing through the mouth, and general restlessness.

Children older than 5 years might have symptoms that include snoring, not growing at the normal rate, bed wetting, and a short attention span. It is difficult to correctly diagnose sleep alpnea from these symptoms alone.

Snoring is the common symptom in almost all children of any age. Sleep apnea makes it difficult to sleep and deprives both children and adults of precious sleep. It is harder to tell in children than in adults that they are sleep deprived because children naturally have so much energy.

If your child shows some of the syptoms of sleep apnea or if you are just suspicious that something may not be right, it is always advisable to go to your doctor. Getting sleep apnea help from your doctor and taking preventative measures is the best course of action.

Sleep Apnia - The Phantom of the Night

2008-06-19T16:06:00.000-07:00

This book is full of solid information that is useful in understanding sleep apnia. There are sections where many questions, concerns, difficulties about sleep apnea and the CPAP machines are discussed. Rather than always having to contact your sleep center doctor or the medical equipment company, answers can be found in this book.

Sleep Apnea-The Phantom of the Nightwill be helpful to patients in understanding what sleep apnea is and how they should deal with it. The book does not present much of surgical techniques, instead focusing on machines, CPAP, etc. Certain parts are hard to understand - in doctor's speak - but overall very useful background information. It is worth a look if you suffer from this, particularly mild cases; more severe cases should consult a physician. This book retails for $40.00 but you can get a cheaper price here - Sleep Apnea-The Phantom of the Night
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Sleep Apnea Treatments

2008-05-01T16:26:00.000-07:00

Sleep apnia is quite common and it is said to affect more than 12 million people in America. It is common for those who suffer from sleep apnea to be male, overweight, and older than 40 or any combination of those. However, it is one of those sleep disorders that anybody can suffer from it including children.

Sleep apnea is the result of a blocking of the airway in the rear of the throat while you sleep. There are other kinds of apnea which include a type where the brain does not signal the muscles to breethe and another type where both the throat is blocked and the brain fails to signal the muscles. Sleep apnea can be very dangerous as you can imagine.

Apnea causes many nights of poor sleep for people who are afflicted with it. During an apnea episode, the brain luckily arouses the person and they are able to again begin breathing. Although this happens almost all of the time, there is always that fear that the person will not resume breathing and damage will be done.

If sleep apnea goes untreated, it may cause high blood pressure, difficulties with memory, headaches, weight gain, and other problems. If you suffer from sleep apnia, it is important that you get it under control so that your life will be normal. Cures do exist for sleep apnea but many people continue to suffer from it and never go for treatment.

Sleep Apnia

2008-04-08T12:07:00.000-07:00

Sleep Apnia is a condition that causes a person to stop breathing several times a night. If you have a mild case it may only be once or twice a night but an extreme case may be as many as hundreds of times a night.

Obviously, sleep apnea is a very serious condition. Symptoms of sleep apnea include being drowsy during the day, heartburn, headaches in the morning, and waking up in the night because you are choking and/or gasping.

Of course, the most common way people might know they have a problem is from their husbands or wives who will be aware of it. Although many sleep apnia sufferers are overweight middle aged men, this does not mean that any person of any size or weight is safe from this disorder. Anybody can have obstructive sleep apnea and it is a dangerous condition for those that do.

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2008-04-08T11:55:00.001-07:00

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