The New Way To Sleep

Sleep Apnea

"Apnea" basically means "no breathing", and sleep apnea affects millions of men, women and children. It is a condition characterized by temporary breathing interruptions during sleep. The cessation of breathing during sleep, lasting at least 10 seconds, is also associated with a fall in blood oxygen or arousal from sleep. Symptoms include loud snoring and a gasping or snorting sound when the sleeping individual starts to breathe again. Oftentimes, the sleeper wakes up gasping for breath, but most people with sleep apnea don't actually realize that they have it. The episodes can occur hundreds of times each night. Quality of sleep is substantially disrupted, and results in daytime fatigue. The most common type, obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), occurs when the tongue or other soft tissue blocks the airway.

Symptoms of Obstructive Sleep Apnea: These are often first noticed a bed partner or parent:

• Frequent silences during sleep due to interruptions in breathing (apnea)
• Choking or gasping during sleep to get air into the lungs
• Loud snoring
• Sudden awakenings to restart breathing, or waking up in a sweat
• Daytime sleepiness and feeling unrefreshed by a night's sleep, including falling asleep at inappropriate times.
• People with sleep apnea sometimes wake up with headaches.

Causes of Obstructive Sleep Apnea:

• Being overweight or obese
• Large tonsils or adenoids
• Other distinctive physical causes (deviated septum, shape of head and neck, receding chin, enlarged tongue)
• Nasal congestion or blockage (from cold, sinusitis, allergies, smoking, etc.)
• Throat muscles and tongue relax more than normal during sleep (often aggravated by alcohol, sedatives or age).
• Sleeping with the neck and head in bent or crooked position (poor pillow choice). Like a bend in a garden hose, it restricts the flow of air in what is already a narrow airway passage. This is a common contributor or aggravator of sleep apnea.

Consequences of Obstructive Sleep Apnea:

• Sleep apnea has serious health consequences and can even be life-threatening. The main effects of sleep apnea are oxygen deprivation and sleep deprivation, as well as sleep interruptions for your sleeping partner. If you are a heavy snorer, or have any of its other symptoms, you should consult with your doctor right away about it.
• Oxygen deprivation -- Air and oxygen cannot get into the lungs properly, and your brain does not get enough oxygen. Serious problems can result, including high blood pressure, heart disease, sexual dysfunction, and memory and learning problems.
• Sleep deprivation -- Often, a person with sleep apnea will wake up feeling like they have not slept, or have difficulty staying awake during the day. Some domino effects of sleep deprivation include a weakening of the immune system, poor mental and emotional health, irritability, and an increased likelihood of motor vehicle accidents or workplace accidents. Other side effects such as excessive sweating and a frequent need to urinate can also disrupt sleep. Sleep deprivation hurts both the person with the sleep apnea as well as his or her sleeping partner whose sleep is also disrupted.

Treatment for Obstructive Sleep Apnea: These may relieve most, if not all, of the symptoms:

Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP): CPAP is the most widely recommended treatment for moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea. CPAP entails wearing a mask-like device while you sleep. It provides pressurized air to prevent the airway from collapsing. Most CPAP units are the size of a tissue box and many come with a built-in humidifier for comfort. While CPAP works very well in preventing or curtailing sleep apnea symptoms, many people find the device uncomfortable and difficult to use or sleep with. The CPAP technology continues to advance and become more refined. Your doctor can recommend and show you the newest models. Different types of masks are available and can make compliance more comfortable. Be sure you receive sufficient coaching and guidance for using these devices. If you have questions about them, ask your doctor.

Proper pillow: As part of your doctor's recommended treatment, and under his or her direction, you will definitely want to be sleeping with the pillow with the clinically-proven design to help keep your airway by comfortably positioning the head and neck to open the airway more. This is the NightCare "Thank You for Not Snoring" Pillow. This is an easy and very comfortable way to augment your treatment – since you are probably already sleeping with a pillow, it should be the right one! While it can augment and help your sleep apnea treatment, by itself it will not eliminate moderate or severe apnea problems.

Dental appliances, oral devices, and lower jaw adjustment devices: Most dental devices are acrylic and fit inside the mouth, much like an athletic mouth guard or orthodontic appliance. They reposition the lower jaw. These devices open your airway by bringing your lower jaw or your tongue forward during sleep. While less cumbersome than CPAP and relatively simple to use, they are only effective for mild to moderate sleep apnea. They can have some uncomfortable side effects; however. It is very important to get them fitted by a dentist that specializes in sleep apnea, and to see the dentist on a regular basis for any dental problems that may occur.

Surgery as treatment: Surgery can increase the size of your airway. The surgeon may remove tonsils, adenoids, or excess tissue at the back of the throat or inside the nose. Or, the surgeon may reconstruct the jaw to enlarge the upper airway. However, all surgeries carry risks, and you will want to consider and weigh all your options with your doctor.

If you, or someone you know, has signs of sleep apnea, then definitely speak with your doctor. Sleep apnea is easily diagnosed and treated. Sufferers are often astounded by the quality of sleep that they have been missing, and by the difference that treatment makes in their lives.