Symptoms of Sleep Apnea that Should Cause Concern

After watching the Ricky Lake Show I finally decided to stop putting off my follow up article on the symptoms of sleep apnea. I hope that many people were able to see that episode as it really highlights the potential severity of the disorder and the stress it can cause on both the victim and their family members. So what is sleep apnea? The sleeping disorder, sleep apnea, affects an individual’s ability to breathe freely during their sleep - their breathing pattern is broken. This disruption in the the normal breathing pattern interrupts the normal sleeping cycle and leads to what is known as obstructive sleep apnea. Do you catch yourself or a loved one constantly gasping for breath during their sleep?

The mistake that many of us make is to simply consider sleep disturbance as another common disorder. Sleep apnea can trigger very serious health issues such as a stroke, high blood pressure and weight gain. As was seen in Ricky Lake's Show, sex apnea is another sleep disorder that can lead the sufferer to commit rape like acts on their partner while they are asleep, and they will have no memory of it when they awaken. People who suffer from certain levels of sleep disorder can severely hurt themselves and their loved ones while they are still fully asleep.

A grave misunderstanding of the disorder, and a sense of shame has resulted in reactions that range from ridicule and jesting to total silence. Ridicule or jesting because some of the acts of the affected individual can be funny, but they can be pretty scary as well. The silence no doubt comes from the desire to cover up what is deemed to be an unnatural and sometimes violent behavior.

Sleep apnea can cause damage to the brain as the individual's breathing will stop or get very shallow while they are sleeping. A pause can last for more than 10 or 20 seconds, and this can be repeated several hundred times throughout one night. Sleep apnea is more than just "difficulty sleeping at nights." It is a disease, and one that should not be taken lightly. Whether the signs are manifested in a child or an adult, the first thing to do is to seek a diagnosis, and if it is present to have the severity of the condition identified, and a proper course of treatment outlined. The only way to diagnose the condition is to have a sleep study done on the individual. The following signs and symptoms are common indicators that can help you determine if you are at risk, but should never be used for self-diagnosis.

1. Loud and Persistent Snoring

Snoring can be pretty disruptive to those who have to share sleeping space with the snorer. This often leads to endless complaints about how loudly you snore. If this sounds like you or a loved one then consider sleep apnea as a probable cause. Snoring, especially if its loud and disruptive, may be an indication that something is interfering with the snorer's ability to breathe freely while they are asleep. Disrupted breathing during sleep can lead to apnea (pause in breathing). If you or a loved one is known to snore loudly you should consider making a visit to doctor.

2. Sweating Excessively During Your Sleep

When your breathing stops while you sleep it creates an imbalance between the levels of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the body. This imbalance cause the body to work harder, and this results in the production of excess sweat.

3. Awakening Suddenly from Your Sleep

This is pretty common among those who suffer from sleep apnea. They wake up suddenly from their sleep gasping as they attempt to breathe in some air. During the state of sleep many of these individuals are unaware of their actions, but can feel that their lungs are starved, and they gasp for air in an attempt to fill up with the much needed oxygen. This may all seem like a dream to the individual, and they may have no recollection of gasping for air or even that their breathing had stopped in the first place.

4. Feeling Drained and Tired in the Mornings

If you find that you or a loved one consistently feels drained and tired after waking up in the mornings, it could indicate that you are not sleeping well during the nights. Obstructive sleep apnea leads to a reduction in the level of oxygen in the body and this will cause the brain to function less efficiently. It also means there is a build up of carbon dioxide (which is a waste product) in the body as the cells are unable to dispose of it as they would during a normal respiration cycle.

5. An Urge to Sleep During the Day

Now after highlighting the other symptoms you can see how easily this one can be the end result of sleep apnea. A constant urge to sleep during the days is an indication that the bodies energy level is not on par, and this leads to the need to rest and rejuvenate. It is advised that even those who suffer from sleep apnea avoid taking long naps during the day as this will increase their difficulty to have a restful sleep during the night. If you suffer from a case of excessive sleepiness during the hours that you should be awake then you may want to investigate the likelihood of having the sleep disorder in question.

This constant spate of tiredness, and the need to sleep could be a direct result of the brain not functioning as it should by telling you to breathe while you sleep. Another reason could be that there is an obstruction to your air passage and this disrupts you ability to breathe naturally during your sleep. it is possible that both factors could have played a role in causing the sleep disorder.

People who suffer from sleep apnea may unconsciously awaken several times during the night as they try to restart the breathing process. This creates extra work for the body and the state of rest is constantly disturbed, and this will leave you feeling drained and tired at some point of the day. The inability of the body cells to function as they should and get rid the carbon dioxide can cause the brain cells to decay. If this happens, it decreases the individual's ability gain full mental concentration and focus.

The effects of can place the sufferer, their loved ones and the public in great danger. An example of this is the possibility of that individual falling asleep while driving and causing a serious or fatal accident. Treatment for sleep apnea is available following a diagnosis. It is even possible for some people to use natural remedies to cure sleep apnea. The condition can be controlled or cured, and it affects thousands of people throughout the world. There is no shame in being afflicted with sleep apnea and more attention should be paid to condition within the medical fraternity as well as by us as a people.

If you display a combination of the symptoms that are highlighted here, and you suspect that you may have sleep apnea, seek medical attention urgently. inform yourself about the various therapies and treatments for sleep apnea.