OSA or Obstructive Sleep Apnea is the most common type of sleep apnea that affects millions each year. The basic characteristic of this disease is marked with short episodes of stopped breathing when asleep. It is commonly known as Sleep apnea syndrome or obstructive sleep apnea syndrome.
In healthy people, the basic snoring is characterized by relaxing of the throat muscles when asleep. These throat muscles work to make the air passages rigid and provide strength that is much needed to support proper breathing. People with sleep apnea have very narrow airways, due to relaxed throat muscles. The noise of heavy snoring is due to air trying to pass through the narrow passages and tissues that vibrate causing the snores. However, with sleep apnea due to extreme narrow passages, there can be complete blockages which results in a person waking up gasping for breath.
So, how does a person realized he is not breathing when asleep?
Well, the brain is constantly on alert so when the lungs do not draw enough oxygen and brain fails to get the required oxygen, it sends an alert for waking up. These apnetic events as they are better known still remain a mystery to the medical world. These complete blockages only occur when the person is in REM stage and these lat for 10 seconds and even more in severe cases. The sudden onset of wakefulness to start breathing can lead to choking, gasping and coughing. But these sudden episodes do not let the person get into sound sleep as there are constant interruptions and waking intervals.
When this fragmented pattern continues, it leads to massive sleep deprivation which in turns affects the daily life activities. Loud snoring, headaches, light sleep, feeling of not rested, memory problems, excessive daytime lethargy, low alertness, constant drowsiness and lack of concentration are some other symptoms that indicate sleep apnea. To use the medical term, Hypoxia sets in. Hypoxia is the condition when the person suffers from low oxygen levels on a long term basis.
The most neglected part of this syndrome is the fact that most often than not, the patient is not aware of his or her problem and needs to be told by the bed partner or colleagues who notice these symptoms. The only fact that is clear is that they know they are tired but do not understand the hidden reason of the condition.
If you or your spouse is suffering similar symptoms or nighttime snoring, it might be a good idea to see a doctor immediately. The first step would be to get your snoring evaluated and check for onset of sleep apnea. The doctor may advise complete ear nose mouth and throat check up, look for any deformations or abnormalities. Mostly suspected sleep apnea patients are advised to undergo PSG or Polysmonogram test which checks your sleep patterns, snoring, oxygen levels, heart rate, muscle activity and other sleep related tests in a sleep lab. It is best to get immediate help to stop snoring and arrest the onset of sleep apnea.
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