Sleep apnea is a condition in which the person’s breathing is interrupted repeatedly during sleep. In some cases, the interruption of breathing occurs only once but in others, it may occur several times per night. Sleep apnea occurs when the upper airway closes repeatedly for an extended period of time, usually several seconds.
Some of the more common reasons for an appeal include a tumor, swelling in the tonsils, enlarged tonsils or throat, and more serious medical conditions such as diabetes and heart disease. Since the condition is related to sleep, it is often a leading cause of snoring among people.
While sleep apnea can occur at any age and at any level of fitness, the most affected people’s sleep habits tend to decline in response to a medical condition or injury. According to a study of high school students, those who suffer from snoring also tend to be more stressed and this may contribute to the development of sleep apnea.
According to studies, snoring is caused by increased levels of stress and discomfort with the person’s sleeping pattern. When stress affects the body’s production of hormones, more secretion of these hormones occurs and the tissue can’t retain them. This causes the muscles to relax, the airway to become smaller, and it becomes easier for the person to wake up during the night.
In addition, the tissue of the throat and jaw becomes more sensitive to pressures that occur during sleep. This reduces the ability of the person to control the muscles that will help them breathe. The result is a reduction in oxygen levels in the blood, and it is this reduction that occurs when the tissues in the airway become more sensitive.
People who suffer from the condition may find that they wake up each night feeling physically unwell. They may find that they are unable to relax completely, may have trouble waking up and falling back asleep, and may feel their sleep interrupted often. While sleep apnea symptoms can be relatively mild, they may because of concern among patients, their families, and carers.
Sleep apnea is a medical condition that has many treatment options. The goal of treatment should be to improve the quality of life of the person suffering from the condition. When one is able to reduce the number of times they awaken during the night and how long they stay awake, the treatment may be successful.
When there is a persistent snoring problem, physicians may recommend an artificial airway device to help relieve the person’s snoring problem. These devices work by helping to enlarge the airway. They can be worn during sleep and can help to prevent the airway from becoming narrower.
For people with severe cases of the condition, they may need to use devices that provide continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) to treat their sleep apnea. CPAP devices work by introducing pressurized air into the airway. The goal is to keep the airway open all night and to help the person to fall asleep easily.
Other treatment options include the use of Continuous Positive Airway Pressure and anti-snoring neck pillows. While these solutions are designed to reduce the problem of snoring, they do not cure the problem. Doctors will still monitor the patient’s breathing every night to ensure that the problem is controlled.
When the problem of sleep apnea is not treated appropriately, it can lead to more serious health problems that can affect the patient’s overall well-being. If sleep apnea is not treated, it can result in complications that include:
