Sleep apnea is a very common disorder that causes people to stop breathing and wake up during the night. It affects men more than women, but it can happen to anyone.
If your symptoms are severe, they may affect your quality of life and increase your risk for health problems like heart disease or diabetes.
Apnea is a sleep disorder characterized by pauses in breathing or periods of shallow breathing during sleep. Each pause can last from a few seconds to minutes, and they may occur 30 times or more an hour. Typically, normal breathing then starts again, sometimes with a loud snort or choking sound.
Oxygen levels in the blood drop when apneic episodes occur; this causes the heart to race and blood pressure to rise. If these episodes persist throughout the night, they can cause poor oxygenation of tissues including muscles and brain cells — which can result in daytime fatigue, irritability and memory loss for some patients. For others it may lead to cardiovascular damage such as heart attack or stroke.
The most common type of sleep apnea is known as obstructive sleep apnea. This is due to a blockage of the airway, usually when the soft tissue in the back of the throat collapses during sleep. Central sleep apnea is caused by a problem with the brain signaling the muscles that control breathing. People who have central sleep apnea don't make a choking sound when they stop breathing because there is no effort to breathe.
The most common type of sleep apnea is known as obstructive sleep apnea.
This is due to a blockage of the airway, usually when the soft tissue in the back of the throat collapses during sleep. Central sleep apnea is caused by a problem with the brain signaling the muscles that control breathing. People who have central sleep apnea don't make a choking sound when they stop breathing because there is no effort to breathe.
One type of central sleep apnea is called Cheyne-Stokes respiration (CSR). In this condition, your breathing becomes very shallow and then deepens until you stop breathing altogether for several seconds or even minutes before resuming normal breathing again. This can happen dozens or hundreds of times throughout the night and it will interrupt your nighttime rest cycle many times during each hour spent sleeping!
If you're concerned about any kind of noisy or uncomfortable breathing at night, talk to your doctor about how best to manage this symptom so it doesn't interfere with your moods and quality of life during waking hours as well.
Symptoms of obstructive and central sleep apneas are similar and include snoring, gasping or choking during sleep, sleeping restlessly, daytime fatigue, waking up with a dry mouth or sore throat, morning headache, trouble staying asleep (insomnia), attention problems, and irritability.
The symptoms of obstructive and central sleep apneas are similar and include snoring, gasping or choking during sleep, sleeping restlessly, daytime fatigue, waking up with a dry mouth or sore throat, morning headache, trouble staying asleep (insomnia), attention problems and irritability.
However, some people may have one type of apnea without having the other. For example: they might have episodes of loud snoring throughout the night but have never been diagnosed as having any type of sleep apnea. Most people with sleep apnea use a CPAP.
CPAP—standing for continuous positive airway pressure as a treatment for sleep apnea.
Sleep is super important!
Sleep is important for your physical and mental health. It affects the way you feel, function, learn and remember; it has a significant effect on your moods, emotions and appetite; it affects energy levels and even your immune system. The need for sleep varies from person to person – but most adults need between 7-9 hours of sleep per night in order to feel their best during the day.
Don't let sleep apnea get in the way of your daily life. Talk to your doctor or contact a sleep specialist if you think you may have this condition.
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