Obstructive Sleep Apnea
September 8, 2008
Facts to Know about Obstructive Sleep Apnea
Introduction:
Our body, which is functioning most of the time, requires rest at some point of time. And Sleep is the body’s way of resting and gearing up energy for the next set of activities to be performed. Now we also need to understand certain sleep orders which when not treated on time may prove to be life taking. The most common type of sleep order is sleep apnea.
Sleep apnea: What is it?
This deadly disease kills thousands and thousands of people every year. Sleep Apnea is something, which can affect anybody without any regard to the age, gender or race of the person. The highest risk factor points to people who are above forty years of age and suffer from obesity. The medication for sleep apnea needs to be taken life long, although it may differ from the individual conditions and medical history. Thus people who are obese and above forty needs to be extra careful and alert regarding the disease and they need to monitor its symptoms and start medication as soon as possible.
Facts to Know about Obstructive Sleep Apnea
The most common types of sleep apnea are obstructive sleep apnea. And it is till day that the researchers and healthcare professionals have not come to a single conclusion about the exact cause of this obstructive sleep apnea.
The scientific Reason:
The soft palate is the most affected region of obstruction for most of the individuals having obstructive sleep apnea. It occurs as a result of muscle relaxation to a certain degree when the air passage gets fully collapsed and turns out to be obstructed.
The Cycle of Sleeping Disruption
Breathing ceases due the falling of the air passage and the individual wakes up as a result of obstructed air passage. Generally the waking up lasts for few seconds and then again the individuals falls asleep. This constant disturbance prevents the individual from reaching the deep sleep level, that is, Rapid Eye Movement (REM) level sleep, which our body desperately needs in order to become rejuvenated and to fight off against different adverse psychological and physical health conditions.
Potential Risk Factors:
Thus obesity and overweight that is responsible for such ailments. And yes
Sleep apnea is not an exception. The most essential cause of obstructive sleep apnea is overweight or obesity. It occurs mainly because excessive buildup of fat on both sides of the air passage turns out it to be narrow, especially when the muscles release. So care must be taken to ensure that one does not become obese and even if obesity has occurred then one must try and reduce it through diet control and exercises.
Age:
Age is also one factor that affects sleep apnea. It is mainly due to the fact that aging contributes to a decreasing muscle mass.
Signs, Symptoms and Complications of obstructive sleep apnea:
The major signs and symptoms of obstructive sleep apnea stem from disturbance in the normal sleep pattern. The recurrent arousal and inability to reach deep sleep may lead to daytime sleepiness, irritation, anxiety, changes in personality and behavior, memory impairment, depression and many others. . In addition, it also contributes to drowsy drive syndrome, which results in an increasing risk for automobile accidents. Lack of oxygen supply puts serious threat over cardiovascular system and increases the risk of congestive heart failure and stroke.
Treatments:
There are several treatments available to cure obstructive sleep apnea. This includes weight reduction. It can be followed by positive pressure therapy, positional therapy, surgical interventions and using oral appliances. The positive pressure therapy has three components, namely, continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP), bi-level positive airway pressure (BPAP) and autotitrati.
Summary:
Thus with timely medication obstructive sleep apnea may get cured.
Got something to say?
