A Definition Of Sleep Apnea Sleep Disorder And Its Causes, Warning Signs and Tests
Author: Donald Saunders
Category: Health
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The most widespread form of sleep apnea is known as obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and is a disorder characterized by periods during which breathing ceases while sleeping. Occasionally this condition is called sleep apnea syndrome or obstructive sleep apnea syndrome.
In healthy people the muscles that work the upper part of the throat make sure that the air flow in and out of the lungs is steady and continuous. During sleep these muscles relax a little but nevertheless still do their job adequately. But those people who have sleep apnea frequently have airways that are narrowed and therefore when the muscles relax this causes the airway to partially or completely close up thereby no longer allowing for the passage of air to the lungs. Labored breathing and snoring resulting in a sleep apnea episode will then occur.
In some people breathing can also cease altogether during periods of deep (or REM) sleep and medical experts and researchers are unsure about just why this occurs. These times during which breathing ceases can last for as long as ten seconds or more in severe cases and are called apneic events or sleep apnea episodes.
These apneic events lead to a degree of awareness that you have stopped breathing and you then struggle to start breathing again which is generally accompanied by choking, gasping or even snorting.
Thereafter it is normal to settle into a period of light sleep before the cycle of apneic events returns.
The effect is that a person suffers from sleep that is fragmented and does not allow them the amount of rest that they require each night. This can lead to a host of health problems one of which is excessive daytime tiredness. One reason for this daytime symptom is simply that the oxygen level in the blood falls significantly during an apnea episode resulting in a condition called hypoxia.
It is important to understand that a lot of people with sleep apnea are not aware of their problem and frequently it must be left to others to point out the problem. Sufferers are frequently aware of how excessively tired they are during the day but do not always know why this is so.
The most common signs of sleep apnea are loud and habitual snoring, awakening in the morning and still feeling tired, headaches in the morning, problems with memory and attention span, alterations in personality, falling asleep at inopportune times, hypertension, excessive levels of activity (in children only) and swelling of the legs in severe cases.
The first step in identifying sleep apnea should be a visit to your doctor who will read through your medical history and examine your neck, throat and mouth for any signs of growths or abnormalities. If your doctor suspects that you have sleep apnea he will refer you to a specialist sleep center for a sleep study and what is called a polysomnogram. This test records eye movement, brain waves, muscle activity, breathing rate, blood oxygen levels, heart rate and how much air is being exhaled and inhaled during sleep.
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Date Submitted: 1/13/2009
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