What’s an Apnea?

An apnea is a pause in breathing. In sleep apnea, these pauses happen during sleep, and can be caused by physical or neurological causes. The breathing gaps can happen 5 (mild) to over 50 (severe) times in an hour.

The most common sign of sleep apnea is snoring. This normally happens when the tongue falling down into the throat causes problem. Other sleep apnea symptoms are:

• Restlessness during sleep
• Frequently waking up
• Gasping or choking
• Difficulty sleeping
• Morning or night migraines
• General fatigue and sleepiness throughout the day

While this disorder may appear harmless, it does have long-term effects on the sufferers. Because the breathing is impaired during sleep, it can cause problems to the brain. They also tend to feel tired and unfocused even if they appear to have gotten hours of sleep. This is because the quality of their sleep is very poor.

Available Treatments

CPAP, or Continuous Positive Airway Pressure, is one of the most common treatments recommended by doctors. It is a mask fitted over the nose, or the nose and mouth, which provides a steady stream of oxygen. This helps the wearer keep breathing even when there are obstructions in the airway. It is also shown to prevent the airway itself from collapsing.

Some patients tend to complain that the device is difficult to wear and causes difficulty sleeping. Others simply say that it is not effective for them. There are CPAP alternatives that are available in the market. Some of these provide a version of the CPAP method with greater variation in the air pressure.

The BiPAP (Bilevel Positive Airway Pressure), also called VPAP (Variable Positive Airway Pressure) has two different settings for air pressure. These correspond to the patient’s every intake and release of breath. More customized is the APAP (Automatic Positive Airway Pressure), wherein the wearer’s every breath is monitored so that the air pressure is changed correspondingly.

Other than these air pressure devices, there are oral and dental devices that prevent the tongue from falling into the throat. These hold the jaw forward to help the airway. These may cause problems with the position of the mouth, so it is advisable to see a doctor to recommend or custom-fit the correct one.

Problems with Lifestyle

Simply changing sleeping position can help relieve the sleep apnea symptoms. Elevating the torso, lying on the stomach, or sleeping on the side helps prevent the tongue from falling down the throat and obstructing breathing.

Losing weight and stopping the intake of medicine and alcohol can also significantly reduce the symptoms. Excess fat can block airway while taking substances may make the muscles too relaxed in sleep.

There is more you can do if you are experiencing the symptoms of sleep apnea. Its best to catch this disorder before it can cause serious problems. The website has more information that can help you.