Hiv | What Is Sleep Apnea – Common Symptoms And Causes

Have you been told that you snore loudly, often, and sometimes stop breathing when you are sleeping?  You could have a sleeping disorder called sleep apnea.

People who have sleep apnea don’t know they have it.  They never remember waking up many times during the night gasping for air.  There is a direct relationship between loud habitual snoring and the cessation of the breathing rhythm during sleep.  Both are due to obstruction of the airway, usually by the tongue and/or excess tissue in the throat area.

There are several types of sleep apnea listed below:

Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS): Is obstruction or narrowing if the airway, or the trachea

Central Sleep Apnea:  Breathing muscles are not getting the proper signals from the brain.

Complex Sleep Apnea:  Is obstructive and central sleep apneas combined

With sleep apnea, you are not getting the rest you need, due to repeatedly waking up during the night to breathe.  This results in sleep deprivation and decreased wakefulness during the day.  Additionally, blood oxygen levels are reduced, which make the heart work harder.  This puts more strain on the heart, which leads to increased blood pressure or a heart attack.

Symptoms of sleep apnea include:

Fatigue
Loud habitual snoring
Repeated cessation of respiratory effort
Repeated awakenings during the night to start breathing again
Dry mouth and sore throat
Morning headaches
Difficulty sleeping

If you are having any of the above symptoms it is time to contact your health care professional.  Undiagnosed sleep apnea can be life threatening and require testing, diagnosis, and treatment to prevent complications, such as heart attack or stroke.

You should see your doctor when you experience any or most of the symptoms below:

Snoring disturbs yourself and others
Breathing difficulty wakes you up
Sporadic pauses breathing while sleeping
Overly drowsy during the day

Causes of Obstructive Sleep Apnea:

Enlarged tonsils
Excessive tissue in the throat
Relaxation of the muscles in the back of the throat, occurring during sleep.
Nasal polyps
Obesity
Age
Gender – More men than women are susceptible to developing sleep apnea

Obstructive sleep apnea happens when your muscles relax, your airway narrows or closes during the inhale phase of respiration, resulting in momentary cessation of breathing.  This can cause reduction of available oxygen in the body. Your brain awakens you to get more air in, causing you to wake up many times during the night.  This robs you of much needed restful sleep and is why you feel so tired during the day.

Sleep apnea on the whole is dangerous. You should seek medical attention as soon as possible if you think sleep apnea is causing daytime problems for you.

Barb Hicks is a licensed registered nurse who is passionate about sharing her knowledge with the online community. You can find her class about stop snoring devices and many other articles like medication for snoring on Clivir – the Free learning Community Site.