If you are always tired, others tell you that you snore, and you are at least a bit overweight, you can suspect you have sleep apnea.
If you meet these criteria, have your doctor prescribe a sleep study for you. Don't wait! Your life could be shortened by sleep apnea, and it's all unnecessary -- there's treatment. If you have sleep apnea, you hold your breath and then gasp for air many times a night. It results in increased risk of stroke, heart attack, and other cardiovascular disease including aneurism.
In sleep apnea, the airway collapses during an intake breath. Fatty tissue lining the airway causes the airway to lose elasticity. At least a bit of excess weight is therefore generally necessary for sleep apnea to occur. Sufferers generally also snore.
The airway closes. The sleeper struggles for breath. The oxygen level in the blood drops. As a result, blood pressure spikes. The sleeper begins to awaken. A semi-conscious effort opens the airway, and the breath is finally allowed in. This cycle can happen several times per minute. If breathing stops for 10 seconds, sleep apnea is diagnosed.
The spiking blood pressure is what wears out the cardiovascular system. The semi-conscious effort is what deprives you of sleep.
Oddly enough, you may not even be aware that you hold your breath while sleeping. Only the telltale tiredness will tip you off that you are in fact sleep-deprived.
The sudden rise in blood pressure many times a night is what can kill you, by leading to heart disease or stroke.
What to do?
Effective treatment comes through a system that supplies mild air pressure to your nose and mouth as you sleep. This continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) system consists of a fan inside a box, a hose, and a mask. The fan pressurizes the air, delivered through the hose and mask to the nose and mouth. The pressurized air keeps your airway open as you breathe in, and isn't enough to prevent you from exhaling.
One downside is that the mask can be uncomfortable. But a variety of suppliers offer options now, one of which will probably fit your face.
Another downside is that you have to wear it whenever you lie down to sleep. If you go traveling or camping, you still have to wear it.
What about fan noise? It's actually a white noise, which may help you fall asleep.
Compare risks to drawbacks. Without treatment, you are risking cardiovascular disease and early death. With it, you must adjust your habits to include wearing a mask to sleep and finding an electric outlet wherever you are. Do you choose test and treatment? - 15266
If you meet these criteria, have your doctor prescribe a sleep study for you. Don't wait! Your life could be shortened by sleep apnea, and it's all unnecessary -- there's treatment. If you have sleep apnea, you hold your breath and then gasp for air many times a night. It results in increased risk of stroke, heart attack, and other cardiovascular disease including aneurism.
In sleep apnea, the airway collapses during an intake breath. Fatty tissue lining the airway causes the airway to lose elasticity. At least a bit of excess weight is therefore generally necessary for sleep apnea to occur. Sufferers generally also snore.
The airway closes. The sleeper struggles for breath. The oxygen level in the blood drops. As a result, blood pressure spikes. The sleeper begins to awaken. A semi-conscious effort opens the airway, and the breath is finally allowed in. This cycle can happen several times per minute. If breathing stops for 10 seconds, sleep apnea is diagnosed.
The spiking blood pressure is what wears out the cardiovascular system. The semi-conscious effort is what deprives you of sleep.
Oddly enough, you may not even be aware that you hold your breath while sleeping. Only the telltale tiredness will tip you off that you are in fact sleep-deprived.
The sudden rise in blood pressure many times a night is what can kill you, by leading to heart disease or stroke.
What to do?
Effective treatment comes through a system that supplies mild air pressure to your nose and mouth as you sleep. This continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) system consists of a fan inside a box, a hose, and a mask. The fan pressurizes the air, delivered through the hose and mask to the nose and mouth. The pressurized air keeps your airway open as you breathe in, and isn't enough to prevent you from exhaling.
One downside is that the mask can be uncomfortable. But a variety of suppliers offer options now, one of which will probably fit your face.
Another downside is that you have to wear it whenever you lie down to sleep. If you go traveling or camping, you still have to wear it.
What about fan noise? It's actually a white noise, which may help you fall asleep.
Compare risks to drawbacks. Without treatment, you are risking cardiovascular disease and early death. With it, you must adjust your habits to include wearing a mask to sleep and finding an electric outlet wherever you are. Do you choose test and treatment? - 15266
About the Author:
Author Susan Harris is pleased to tell you all about sleep apnea and its treatment, the CPAP sleep apnea machine. Check out her Internet site for plenty of information to help you understand how it functions and choose the best one for you.
