Tell Me About Sleep Apnea I wouldn’t bother so much having my bed partner lie on the couch in the living room snoring, as I would if he suffered from sleep apnea, a more serious and harmful disorder. This breathing disorder during sleep that is followed by interrupted and shallow breathing can be treated easily provided it is found out in time and not mistaken for ordinary snoring. Hence it is best to understand what sleep apnea and its symptoms are, so we can help a loved one that is suffering from this sleep disorder. We need to know that untreated sleep apnea could hinder you having good sleep at night and make you feel tired, fatigued, mentally exhausted and least productive on the following day. The breathing pauses could last anywhere between 10 to 20 second, occur even unto 100 times on the same night. This would bring down the deep natural sleep that is very necessary for the body to function normally physically and mentally during the daytime. Most of us know the implications of not having a sound night’s sleep and this is no exception for a person with sleep apnea. He/she would suffer from chronic daytime sleepiness, lack of concentration, slow reflexes that could make one have increased risks for accidents. In addition the long-term consequences of sleep apnea are serious health disorders like diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, and weight gain. Watch out for sleep apnea symptoms like loud and chronic snoring, choking, gasping, snorting in sleep and long pauses in breathing. In addition observe if he/she feels tired and sleepy during the day even after long hours of sleep at night. In addition watch out for dry mouth or sore throat on waking up, morning headaches, restlessness, insomnia, moodiness, irritability or even depression. Waking up feeling restless, forgetful, lack of concentration power and frequent trips to the bathroom at night could be the other symptoms. On observing these symptoms consult a specialist. He/she will prescribe an overnight stay in a hospital to observe and diagnose sleep apnea. It is best to know that just snoring or some of these symptoms does not contribute to a diagnosis of sleep apnea. Snoring could be just normal and it does not interfere with the quality and amount of sleep and make one feel chronically fatigued, sleepy or lack concentration, all of which that could lead to accidents. However the onus of diagnosing lies with the specialist.
It is best to observe that sleep apnea could be of various types. In an episode of obstructive sleep apnea, the soft tissues on the back of the throat relax and block oxygen from entering the lungs during sleep and it causes a brief disturbance of sleep. However central sleep apnea is less known but more serious and occurs when the brain fails to signal the breath controlling muscles to breathe and this could make one aware than one has woken up. The most serious of sleep apneas is the combination of both these apnea known as complex sleep apnea. Believe me, sleep apnea could be easily found out in the initial stages with your bed partner’s help. A sleep diary would help him/her record your snoring, gasping, choking, or other unusual sounds. In addition a video recording of the patient would help you note signs of sleep apnea. Owen Jones, the writer of this piece, writes on a number of subjects, but is now involved with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome. If you want to know more, please visit our web site at Sleep Apnea Surgery Techniques