What Is There to Do About Sleep Apnea?
What is sleep apnea?
Sleep apnea is a sleep disorder that affects millions of Americans. This condition occurs when the airway is blocked in the throat while sleeping. When this happens breathing stops, causing the brain to signal to the body to wake up. Over the course of an evening this can happen hundreds of times leaving the sleep apnea patient tired and listless in the morning.
Who gets sleep apnea?
Anyone can get sleep apnea, men or women and even children. Althought the majority of sleep apnea patients are overweight not everyone with sleep apnea is overwieght.
What can you do about sleep apnea?
The most common cure for sleep apnea is the use of a cpap machine. CPAP, continuous positive airway pressure, delivers air continously through a hose to a mask that the sleep apnea patient is wearing. There are differen't variations of positive airway pressure machines such as bipap, where the air pressure has 2 settings and apap where the air pressure is automatically adjusted to the patient's breathing.
Not everyone can make the adjustment to wearing a cpap mask all night. Another way to keep the airway open is to use a dental device which keeps the mouth open all night. Usually this is best used with moderate sleep apnea.
The last alternative is surgery, which is only used when all other treatments are exhausted.
What are the consequences of sleep apnea?
Probably the most dangerous consequence of sleep apnea is the increased risk of heart disease and high blood pressure. Another serious consequence is that you are more likely to be in a car accident because you are less alert and more tired.
Sleep information
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This content is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge and is not meant to substitute for formal and individualized advice from a qualified professional.
