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Sleep apnea syndrome is a condition where there is a reduction in breathing while one sleeps. Children seldom are diagnosed with this common syndrome although it is very common in adults. A diagnosis of sleep apnea is usually made based on a person’s medial history. If the doctor feels this is a likely diagnosis there are many tests that can be utilized to confirm the diagnosis.

This is a condition where breathing stops for 10 or more seconds. It also includes complete airflow stoppage, and a 4% drop in oxygen in the blood as a direct result of the stoppage of breathing. When apnea occurs during sleep it’s disruptive because breathing is inadequate.

With sleep apnea the person comes out of their deep sleep into a shallow sleep level. Apnea is measured while a person sleeps, and the severity is calculated by taking the number of apneas and then dividing it by the number of sleep hours to give the doctor the level of severity.

There are different types of apnea including central referred to as CSA, obstructive referred to as OSA, and a mix of both of these sleep apneas.

Central apnea happens when your brain isn’t able to send the necessary signal to muscles that are needed to breath. Obstructive apnea happens when your brain sends a message to the muscles and while the muscles attempt to breathe but they are not successful at doing so because the airway is obstructed preventing proper air flow.

Symptoms of Sleep Apnea Syndrome

Ironically most people suffering from this condition don’t even realize they have a problem. It’s believed there are as many as 15 million undiagnosed cases. There is a simple quiz that you can take to determine if you have sleep apnea syndrome. If you answer yes to one or more of these questions it’s likely you are suffering from this disease.

· Are you tired and/or groggy when you awake in the morning?

· Are you a habitual snorer?

· Are you a loud snorer?

· Are you sleepy during the day?

· Are you overweight?

· Do you find yourself gasping for air while you sleep or choking while you sleep?

This syndrome can also cause problems with your memory, headaches, and in the most serious cases strokes, heart attacks, arrhythmias, and high blood pressure. If you believe you may be suffering from this conditions it is important that you see your doctor. Sleep apnea syndrome can be serious so don’t wait!

Sleep apnea or sleep-disordered breathing is an ordinary disorder that can be serious. In this disorder, you’re breathing pauses a number of times while sleeping. Typically, there is a loud snort or a choking sound when normal breathing starts again. Patients with this disorder often snore so loud. On the other hand not all people who snore have this kind of sleeping disorder.

Usually, sleep apnea is a chronic (ongoing) condition that disturbs your sleep 3 or more nights every week. When breathing gaps happen during sleeping, deep sleep is shifted to shallow sleep. This will cause a poor quality sleep which will cause you less energy and makes you exhausted during the day. That is why people having problem have a high risk for accident such as car crashes, other work related accidents and other medical problems.

The most familiar type of sleeping disorder is the snoring or obstructive sleep apnea. In this, your airway has collapsed or blocked during sleep and you are not able to acquire sufficient amount of air. When that occurs, the oxygen in your blood may drop. Anyone can have obstructive sleep apnea. And people who are overweight are more often to have this disorder. Usually, this disorder is not diagnosed. Physicians often can’t detect the condition during normal clinic visits. There are no any blood tests for this condition. Sleep apnea occurs only during sleep. That is why most patients don’t usually know that they have the disorder.

When this condition has not given any medical attention it could result to increase risk of high blood pressure, heart attack, obesity, diabetes and stroke and gives a bigger chance of driving or work related accidents.

Patient with seep apnea is usually advised to sleep on a side lying position. This condition keeps the airway open, surgery, and may consider the use of breathing devices that can help for more successful treatment.

Kitty knows you can’t deny it, just about everyone be it man or beast will snores occasionally. Snoring can affect how much and how well we sleep, as poor sleep may be a sign of poor health. Snoring is not a laughing matter, because it is not just your health that may be in jeopardy, it’s your relationship. Loud snoring is the number one cause why couples sleep separately. Let’s look at some snoring solutions and find a way to eliminate snoring and improve your health, love life and your sleep.

If you want to quit snoring it’s important to find out why you snore. Identifying the cause will help you to choose the cure. For example; if you use a forced heat furnace this could dry out the air in your bedroom.

Cause: you get congested, so you sleep with your mouth open making you snore.

Cure: buy a humidifier or try nasal sprays to keep your nasal passageway moist and clear. It would be nice if it were that simple.

Let’s look at some other at-home treatments to see if they will help reduce your snoring:

1. Sleep on your side
2. Use an anti-snoring pillow to elevate your head
3. Stop drinking alcohol 2-3 hours prior to bedtime, alcohol relaxes your throat muscles more; as do some medications.
4. Weight loss…if you are overweight even losing 10% of your body weight may do the trick. Extra fat in the neck can obstruct airway passages.

Obstruction of the airway passage is the reason why we snore. Deformities of the nose and throat and poor sleep posture contribute to the obstruction. Some people are born with too much throat and nasal tissue or even a larger tongue, which can get in the way of breathing. The cause may not be within your control and medical treatment may be necessary. Talk with your partner and keep a sleep journal to help determine the cause of your snoring.

If you snore with your mouth closed, a weakened soft palate may be the reason. With a weak soft palate your tongue maybe applying pressure on the uvula creating a vibration. If you snore with your mouth open, you may have enlarged adenoids or tonsils. Only snore on your back and not all the time, could just suggest that you need to change some sleep or health habits. If you snore in all position and very loudly, may signify a more severe health reason such as sleep apnea and may require a consult with your physician. If you have sleep apnea, you and your partner will wake up periodically during the night. Constant sleep disruption will eventually take a toll on your relationship as well as your health.

Sleep apnea is potentially life-threatening because the person actually stops breathing for a few seconds continuously during the night. Snoring is a symptom of sleep apnea and not the cause. If simple at-home remedies don’t cure or at least lessen your snoring, you should contact an ear, nose and throat doctor (otolaryngologist) or sleep specialist. You may be referred to a sleep clinic where they can evaluate your sleep and determine if you are a candidate for a CPAP machine or a dentist if you need a dental appliance. Both a CPAP machine and dental appliance are worn during the night. The CPAP will force air into your airway passage and the dental appliance will keep the jaw inline or the tongue forward during sleep.

If you’re diagnosed with enlarge tonsils or adenoids a surgeon can perform a tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy. Other surgeries include an Uvulopalatopharyngoplasty (UPPP) or Thermal Ablation Palatoplasty (TAP) which uses a scalpel, laser or a microwaving probe to remove excess tissue in the back of the throat and/or inside the nose. Plastic surgery can reconstruct a deformed jaw or deviated septum in the nose.

A new surgery called the Pillar Procedure uses small implants that are inserted into the soft palate. Over time, scar tissue or tissue fibers will build up around the implants causing the soft palate to stiffen. Stiffening the soft palate stops the vibrations that cause snoring. This procedure is done on an out-patient basis, under a local anesthesia with minimal pain and quick recovery time. Since this is a new procedure, long term studies have not been established. The cost of this procedure is not covered by health insurance or Medicare, but is under review. Most insurance plans do not cover surgeries for snoring. With any procedure, consult with your doctor to find a qualified, experienced surgeon in your area to help you eliminate snoring.

The US Department of Health and Human Services reports that 40 million people in the United States suffer from sleep problems. Sleep disorders affect a person’s overall quality of life and are related to difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep, the quantity of sleep, quality of sleep, and level of alertness during the day. There are 81 official sleep disorders. The most common sleep disorders are sleep apnea, insomnia, narcolepsy, and restless leg syndrome (RLS). Most sleep disorders can be helped by changing personal habits and behaviors. Nightmares, sleepwalking, headbanging, bedwetting, and teeth grinding are just a few sleep problems called parasomnias. Parasomnias are disorders that disrupt sleep.

Sleep apnea is a disorder of breathing during sleep usually accompanied by loud snoring. People with sleep apnea do not get enough oxygen when they sleep and experience brief moments throughout the night where breathing stops. There are two types of sleep apnea; obstructive sleep apnea and central sleep apnea. Obstructive sleep apnea is the most common type and is caused by an obstruction in the airway during sleep. Central sleep apnea is caused by a delay in the signal from the brain to breath and is difficult to diagnose. In both types of apnea, a person wakes up briefly several times during the night to breathe, usually with no knowledge of doing so. Sleep apnea can be a life-threatening condition if it goes undiagnosed and untreated for a long period of time. The severity of the condition determines how it should be treated.

Mild sleep apnea can be treated with behavioral changes including losing weight and sleeping on your side. However, there are also devices that a person can wear during sleep to help keep the airway open. Moderate to severe sleep apnea is usually treated a machine called the CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) that blows air into your nose via a nose mask. The continuous air keeps the airway open and unobstructed. A Bi-level PAP(Bi-PAP) machine is used for more severe cases of apnea. The bi-level machine blows air at two different pressures; higher pressure when a person inhales and lower pressure when a person exhales. In cases where CPAP can not help or when a person has a facial deformity that causes sleep apnea, surgical procedures to increase the size of the airway are needed.

Insomnia is another sleep disorder involving difficulty falling asleep, difficulty staying asleep, waking up too early, and sleep state misperception. At times, life events can cause insomnia but it is usually temporary. This is called transient or short-term insomnia. Chronic insomnia involves sleeping poorly most nights for a month or longer. There are usually a number of factors involved including physical and or mental disorders. Depression is the most common cause of chronic insomnia. However, chronic insomnia may also be due to the misuse of caffeine, alcohol and drugs. Chronic insomnia can also be caused by a disruption in the sleep/wake cycle, like shift work and other nighttime activities. Anxiety about sleep and/or chronic stress are other behaviors that can perpetuate insomnia. Medication and behavioral treatment can help with transient, short term and chronic insomnia.

Transient and short term insomnia may not need to be treated because the episodes only last a short period of time. For example, if insomnia is due to a disruption in the sleep cycle, usually a person’s biological clock will readjust to normal on its own. However, short-acting sleeping pills are available for those that experience impaired performance due to day time sleepiness from insomnia. The first step for treating chronic insomnia is diagnosing and treating the underlying medical or psychological problem causing the sleeplessness. This can be followed by identifying and stopping or reducing behaviors that may worsen insomnia. Finally, the use of sleeping pills prescribed at the lowest dose for the shortest duration needed can also be beneficial. Behavioral techniques such as relaxation therapy, sleep restriction therapy and reconditioning are also effective and safe.

Narcolepsy is a chronic sleep condition where a person continues to experience an irresistible need to sleep no matter how much sleep they get. It is mostly a hereditary condition but only prevalent in about 0.3% of the population. Symptoms include, excessive sleepiness, temporary decrease or loss of muscle control (especially when excited), vivid dream-like images when drifting off to sleep or waking up unable to move or talk for a brief time. Symptoms usually begin between the ages of 15 and 30 with a peak in the teenage years. There is no cure for narcolepsy, however, behavior and medical therapy can help control symptoms.

The excessive daytime sleepiness is usually treated with a stimulant drug. Muscle weakness and REM sleep symptoms are treated with antidepressants. The medications reduce symptoms but don’t alleviate them and some medications may have side effects. Maintaining a routine sleep schedule, a good diet, increased exercise and avoiding exciting situations are lifestyle adjustments that can help reduce excessive daytime sleepiness and muscle weakness. With proper medication and support from friends and family, most individuals with narcolepsy enjoy a nearly normal lifestyle.

Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS) is a discomfort or prickly/tingly feeling in the legs relieved by moving or stimulation the leg. The most unusual aspect of this condition is that relaxing or lying down tends to activate the symptoms. Therefore, most people with RLS have trouble falling asleep or staying asleep. When undiagnosed and untreated RLS can cause daytime fatigue and extreme exhaustion. 80% of persons with RLS also experience periodic limb movement disorder (PLMD). PLMD is associated with involuntary leg twitching or jerking movements occurring every 10 to 60 seconds throughout the night. The causes of RLS and PLMD are unknown, however, they can be treated.

Mild to moderate cases of RLS can be treated with lifestyle adjustments including reduction of caffeine intake, alcohol consumption, and tobacco. Taking a hot bath, taking vitamin supplements, using a heating pad and maintaining a regular bedtime routine can also relieve some symptoms of RLS. Dopaminergics, benzodiazepines (central nervous system depressants), opioids, and anticonvulsants are the types of drugs physicians prescribe to treat the disorder since there is no one drug to help everyone with RLS. RLS is a lifelong condition that can be managed but usually gets worse with age.

If you experience lack of sleep, too much sleep, non-breathing spells during sleep, or exhaustion is interfering with your daily life, contact your health care provider for assistance.