So what is sleep apnea? Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) is a condition when you stop breathing while sleeping. You continue breathing struggles but no air moves from the outside into your lungs. You're breathing stops about 10-15 seconds, about two full breaths, and happen at least five times per hour. These non-breathing episodes happen at night sleeping but also can take place during daytime nap.
During sleep, your neck muscles relax and collapse down cutting off the path, called your airway or trachea in medical terminology, between the mouth and the lungs.
If you are overweight, this situation worsens. Although the neck's size is not always this sleep disorder's main trigger, increased heaviness around your throat is never good. If you have a large chest, it pushes against your neck. If you have a big stomach, it pushes up on your chest, which pushes onto your neck that closes off your airway.
When you stop breathing, your brain never gets any rest. You never get any Rapid Eye Movement Sleep or "REM" sleep. Your body's computer does not get a reboot. Resting is for the body but REM sleep is for your brain.
Your brain needs oxygen just like every other part of your body. When your brain does not get any oxygen, it arouses you. Basic signs and symptoms of sleep apnea are snoring, snorting and body jerking.
When the body goes without sleep for long periods and without oxygen you can develop many medical problems. Untreated Obstructed Sleep Apnea can increase the risk of:
High Blood Pressure
Stroke
Heart Failure
Irregular Heart Beat
Heart Attack
Diabetes
Depression
Mood Swings
Sleep apnea can be as simple as just feeling tired all day long and as harsh as causing death. OSA is a chronic condition that must be treated. Basic sleep apnea can be treated by:
1. Surgery
The most basic procedure removes the adenoids and tonsils to widen the airway.
2. CPAP or Continuous Positive Airway Pressure
While wearing a mask over your nose and mouth, or just nose, a machine blows pressurized room air into your lungs keeping your airway open.
3. CPAP Alternatives
CPAP Alternatives include lifestyle changes such as weight loss, stop alcohol consumption, smoking cessation and sleeping position changes.
Sleep apnea causes major medical problems. You body needs oxygen. In this day and age it seems money is the topic of every day, it is only second to oxygen. If you snore, gasp in your sleep or are just tired all day long, you may have this sleeping disorder.
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