What Is Sleep Apnea And What Causes It?
What is sleep apnea?
Sleep apnea (sometimes also mistakenly written as sleep apnia, sleep apena, sleep aponea or sleep apnoea) is a common, though often undiagnosed, sleep disorder in which you stop breathing during the night, sometimes literally hundreds of times and for as much as a minute or more. The disorder derives its name from the Greek word "apnea" meaning "without breath".
When you stop breathing oxygen levels in the blood drop and carbon dioxide levels rise. This causes your heart to pump harder and sometimes to beat irregularly, or even to stop for several seconds. Your diaphragm and chest muscles work harder and your blood pressure rises. Finally, your brain senses that your body is in trouble and wakes you sufficiently for you to breathe and, as you do so, your breathing will often be accompanied by loud snoring.
It should be noted here that snoring itself is also very common and it is estimated that about forty percent of all adults snore. Snoring is also more commonly seen in men, rather than in women. While snoring is almost always seen in cases of sleep apnea, snoring by itself does not mean that you are suffering from sleep apnea.
What causes sleep apnea?
This condition most often occurs as the result of a blockage to the airway, usually when soft tissue at the rear of the throat collapses and closes the throat. It can, however, also result from a failure by the brain to signal the muscles of the body that control breathing.
What are the different types of sleep apnea?
Who suffers from sleep apnea and what are its symptoms?
What is the treatment for sleep apnea?
Additional reading:
Recommended books from
Good Night: The Sleep Doctor's 4-Week Program to Better Sleep and Better Health
by Dr. Michael Breus
Amazon Price:
Customer Review: this book was recommended to me by a colleague who is a sleep specialist. i found the book full of information, suggestions and resources that i can share with my patients. the book contains a 28-day program for getting to the bottom of your sleep problems and includes something for everyone. it com...
Questions & Answers About Sleep Apnea (100 Questions & Answers about)
by Sudhansu Chokroverty
Amazon Price: $12.89
Customer Review: I was diagnosed with severe sleep apnea a few years ago and prior to that I had no idea why I was always so tired during the day even though I went to bed early every night.
Over the years I have read many books on Sleep Apnea but this one really stands out because of how informative a...
Dental Management of Sleep Disorders
by Ronald Attanasio, Dennis R. Bailey
Amazon Price: $89.99
Sleep Apnea-The Phantom of the Night: Overcome Sleep Apnea Syndrome and Win Y...
by T. Scott Johnson
Amazon Price: $31.58
Customer Review: This book helped me to understand that there are other consequences to not sleeping well besides daytime sleepiness that I never knew about. I am not happy using a cpap machine, but if it will help prevent other diseases due to not having a good night's sleep, then it makes me feel a little better ...
Helping People with Sleep Apnea - WSHM-TV
11 Mar 2010 at 5:27pm
Shift Work Disorder News
Helping People with Sleep Apnea
WSHM-TV
The most common issue is sleep apnea and it can lead to serious health issues. Dr. Donald Blair, Medical Director, Sleep Lab at Wing Memorial Hospital in ...
Sleep Apnea SeminarWKBW-TV
Sleep ApneaWABI
Sleep Apnea Sufferers Find Solution w...
Sleep center helps residents get their ZZZ's - Business Gazette
11 Mar 2010 at 3:39am
Business Gazette
Sleep center helps residents get their ZZZ's
Business Gazette
Wade, 64, was diagnosed with sleep apnea in fall 2008 at Doctors Community Hospital's Sleep Center in Lanham. She is among thousands of people who have been ...
Long Beach Memorial sleep disorder centers offer tips for day...
Sleep Habits Revealed in New Survey - FOXNews
8 Mar 2010 at 2:10pm
New York Daily News
Sleep Habits Revealed in New Survey
FOXNews
"There's enough research out there to suggest there may be ethnic differences in sleep disorders, such as insomnia and sleep apnea, differences in the ...
Sleep: Study Finds Many Are Too Tired for SexNew York Times
Most Americans are too ...
VNA "Senior Moments" Free Presentation - Sleep Apnea and Other Senior Sleep ....
10 Mar 2010 at 11:09am
VNA "Senior Moments" Free Presentation - Sleep Apnea and Other Senior Sleep ...
ValpoLife.com (blog)
The Visiting Nurse Association of Porter County will present "Sleep Apnea and Other Senior Sleep Problems" at locations in Lake and Porter Counties in April ...
and more »
The information contained here should NOT be used as a substitute for the advice of an appropriately qualified and licensed physician or other health care provider. The information provided here is for educational and informational purposes only and in no way should be considered as an offering of medical advice.
|
