A Crash Course About Sleep Apnea

Sleep apnea is a type of sleep disorder that does not come and go. If you have it, it will stay with you until it i’s treated. Sleep apnea goes hand in hand with chronic snoring, gasping, and choking for air. People with sleep apnea do not breathe properly while they’re asleep, and therefore do not get enough oxygen. It is similar to being under water and has to rise to the surface in order to breathe.

During sleep, people with sleep apnea rise to the surface of consciousness up to 600 times a night gasping for air. Because their breathing is irregular or difficult, levels of oxygen in their blood can drop drastically, resulting in rapid changes in heart rate and blood pressure. The result is getting poor-quality of sleep.

Deep sleep becomes a virtual impossibility for these people. The next day they feel as if they have hardly slept at all. As a result, the quality of their mood and overall performance during waking hours suffer dramatically. Falling asleep during the day is very common.

Sleep apnea is commonly linked to both the respiratory and cardiovascular systems. Sleep-disordered breathing may cause hypertension, and the condition can increase the likelihood of heart attacks and strokes.

People with sleep apnea can literally fall asleep while working, eating, or during phone conversations. Studies show that people with sleep apnea are five times more likely to be involved in or cause a car accident.

The typical profile for sleep apnea is a middle-aged overweight man with a receding chin and short neck. He may be a smoker, a habit that aggravates the condition. If he combines all of these factors with alcohol, he may be setting himself up for real trouble.

This type of sleep disorder has been known to destroy marriages and relationships. In addition to snoring, people with sleep apnea undergo a personality change as a result of being constantly tired. Many of them suffer memory loss and are always irritable. To add to their misery, they may have difficulties such as impotence, ulcers, morning headaches, and depression. They may also need to urinate frequently during the night.

Very often an undiagnosed person will mistakenly eat foods that are high in calorie to boost his energy level. This does not work, and he may put on weight as a result. As being overweight is associated with sleep apnea in the first place, he may end up making an already chronic condition even worse.