Sleep Apnea

Sleep apnea can be a serious sleep disorder. People who have sleep apnea may stop breathing for 10 to 30 seconds at a time while they are sleeping. These short stops in breathing can happen up to 400 times every night. If you have sleep apnea, the periods of not breathing may make you wake up from deep sleep. If you are waking up all night long, you aren't getting enough rest from your sleep.

There are two kinds of sleep apnea: obstructive apnea and central apnea. Obstructive sleep apnea is the most common type. Nine out of 10 people with sleep apnea have this type of apnea. If you have obstructive apnea, something is blocking the passage or windpipe (called the trachea) that brings air into your body. When you try to breathe, you can't get enough air because of the blockage. Your windpipe might be blocked by your tongue, tonsils or uvula (the little piece of flesh that hangs down in the back of your throat). It might also be blocked by fatty tissue in the throat or even by relaxed throat muscles.
During sleep, enough air cannot flow into your lungs through your mouth and nose even though you try to breathe. When this happens, the amount of oxygen in your blood may drop. Normal breaths then start again with a loud snort or choking sound.
People with sleep apnea often have loud snoring. However, not everyone who snores has sleep apnea. Some people with sleep apnea don’t know they snore.

• Sleep apnea happens more often in people who are overweight, but even thin people can have it.
• Most people don’t know they have sleep apnea. They don’t know that they are having problems breathing while they are sleeping.
• A family member and/or bed partner may notice the signs of sleep apnea first.

Central sleep apnea is rare. This type of sleep apnea is related to the function of the central nervous system. If you have this type of apnea, the muscles you use to breathe don't get the "go-ahead" signal from your brain. Either the brain doesn't send the signal, or the signal gets interrupted.

Doctors estimate that about 18 million Americans have sleep apnea. Men and people who are over 40 years old are more likely to have sleep apnea, but it can affect anyone at any age. If you are interested in meeting other people who have sleep apnea, you can visit the American Sleep Apnea Association's Web site to find the location of a support group near you.

Sleep Apnea Symptoms

Because some of the symptoms of sleep apnea occur while you're sleeping, the person you sleep with may notice it first. You, or that person, may notice heavy snoring or long pauses in your breathing during sleep. When your sleep is upset throughout the night, you can be very sleepy during the day. With sleep apnea, your sleep is not restful because:

• These brief episodes of increased airway resistance (and breathing pauses) occur many times.
• You may have many brief drops in the oxygen levels in your blood.
• You move out of deep sleep and into light sleep several times during the night, resulting in poor sleep quality.

 Even if you don't remember waking up during the night, you may notice daytime sleepiness (such as falling asleep at work, while driving or when talking), irritability or fatigue. You may also experience morning headaches, forgetfulness, mood changes and a decreased interest in sex.

Your doctor can diagnose sleep apnea. He or she may ask you if you feel tired or sleepy during the day. Your doctor may also want to know about your bedtime habits and how well you sleep. Your doctor may ask you to go to a sleep center for a sleep study. Tests done at the sleep center may reveal which kind of sleep apnea you have. You may need to take some equipment home with you to do a sleep study there.

Dangers of Sleep Apnea

Sleep apnea can cause serious problems if it isn't treated. Your risk of heart disease and stroke is higher if serious sleep apnea goes untreated. You are also more likely to have traffic accidents if you drive while you're sleepy. If you have sleep apnea, it is very important for you to get treatment.

The following steps help many people who have sleep apnea sleep better:

• Stop all use of alcohol or sleep medicines. These relax the muscles in the back of your throat, making it harder for you to breathe.
• If you smoke, quit smoking.
• If you are overweight, lose weight.
• Sleep on your side instead of on your back.

Tips for staying alert
If you’re dealing with a sleep deficit, these tips may help get you through a sluggish day:

• Eat breakfast. You’ll need the energy it provides.
• Avoid a “sugar rush.” You might get a lift from eating candies, cakes, and other high-sugar foods, but you’ll crash pretty quickly. Instead, eat meals and snacks that combine complex carbohydrates and protein.
• Move around. Stimulate your body by taking a brief walk outside or around the office; you’ll feel more alert.
• Vary your activities. Don’t focus on the same task for long periods of time.
• Get chilly. A surge of cold air might perk you up. Depending on the season, you could turn on the air conditioning, open a window, or take a brisk walk outside.

Sleep Apnea Treatment

Once OSA is diagnosed your doctor may prescribe CPAP, (pronounced “SEE-PAP”), is short for Continuous Positive Airway Pressure. This is a common treatment that provides pressure to the person’s airway by a machine that compresses air. CPAP is delivered to the person by a mask that fits on the face and covers the nose or the nose and mouth. The compressed air flows into the airway and acts as a splint or a support to hold back the tongue and open the soft tissue that was obstructing the throat. This allows breathing to become more regular, snoring stops, and restful sleep is restored. In addition, the quality of life often improves as the person is less tired and may have more energy. Risk factors associated with untreated sleep apnea are greatly reduced when CPAP is used as prescribed by the doctor.

Untreated sleep apnea can increase the chance of having high blood pressure and even a heart attack or stroke. Untreated sleep apnea can also increase the risk of diabetes and the risk for work-related accidents and driving accidents.

In very few cases, surgery is necessary to remove tonsils or extra tissue from the throat.