-Sleep apnea is a common sleep disorder characterized by repeated interruptions in breathing throughout the sleep cycle.These interruptions, called apneas, are caused by the collapse of soft tissue in the airway, which prevents oxygen from reaching the lungs.Weak muscles in the airway, a large tongue, obesity, and other factors may cause airway tissue to collapse and obstruct breathing.Sleep apnea disrupts the sleep cycle and can dramatically impact energy,mental performance, and long term health. In some cases, if left untreated, sleep apnea can be fatal.
What are the symptoms of sleep apnea?
-Sleep apnea affects 5-10% of adults in the United States, though a majority of sufferers go undiagnosed.Potentially dangerous symptoms, such as snoring , are often overlooked.-Untreated sleep apnea is associated with a number of health risks, so it’s important to consult a sleep specialist if you experience the following signs and symptoms: Nighttime symptoms -Loud persistent snoring-Witnessed pauses in breathing-Choking or gasping for air during sleep-Restless sleep-Frequent visits to the bathroom Daytime symptoms-Early morning headaches-Excessive daytime fatigue-Poor concentration-Depression or irritability-Sleepiness during routine activities Sleep apnea can have serious short and long term health risks if left untreated, including: -High blood pressure-Irregular heartbeat-Heart disease/heart attack-Stroke-Type 2 Diabetes-Driving and work-related accidents Risk Factors: A common misconception is that sleep apnea only affects older, overweight men. This widely-held assumption is wrong: anyone can have sleep apnea, regardless of gender, age or body type. If you have any of the following traits you may be at increase risk:-Excess weight: An adult with a BMI of 25 or higher is considered to be overweight. Your risk of sleep apnea increases with the amount of excess body weight. -Large neck size (>17 inches for men, > 16 inches for women:A large neck will have more fatty tissue that can block your airway. Older age (40+ for men, 50+ for women)-Sleep apnea occurs more often in older adults, especially people older than 60.:Being male– Men have twice the risk having sleep apnea compared to women Smoker-Smokers have a higher risk of sleep apnea Hypertensive :High blood pressure is very common in people with sleep apnea family history-Sleep apnea can appear more often among family members. This may be a result of either inherited traits or common lifestyles FAQ'S Is sleep apnea a disease?Sleep apnea (AP-ne-ah) is a common disorder in which you have one or more pauses in breathing or shallow breaths while you sleep. Breathing pauses can last from a few seconds to minutes. They may occur 30 times or more an hour. Typically, normal breathing then starts again, sometimes with a loud snort or choking sound. What is apnea? Sleep apnea is a serious sleep disorder that occurs when a person's breathing is interrupted during sleep. People with untreated sleep apnea stop breathing repeatedly during their sleep, sometimes hundreds of times. This means the brain -- and the rest of the body -- may not get enough oxygen. What does it mean when you stop breathing during sleep? It occurs when the soft tissue in the back of your throat relaxes during sleep and blocks the airway, often causing you to snore loudly. Central sleep apnea is a much less common type of sleep apnea that involves the central nervous system, occurring when the brain fails to signal the muscles that control breathing. Do you stop breathing when you sleep? Apnea is the medical term used to describe slowed or stopped breathing. Apnea can affect people of all ages, and the cause depends on the type of apnea you have. Apnea usually occurs while you are sleeping. For this reason, it is called sleep apnea.
