Sleep apnea refers to a sleep disorder characterized by interruptions of breathing during sleep, so that breathing stops for ten seconds or more, cutting off precious oxygen supply to the brains. This interruption of the breathing cycle of the human body can return hundreds of times per night, with potentially fatal consequences.Sleep apnea refers to a sleep disorder characterized by interruptions of breathing during sleep, so that breathing stops for ten seconds or more, cutting off precious oxygen supply to the brains. This interruption of the breathing cycle of the human body can return hundreds of times per night, with potentially fatal consequences. Apnea is indeed alarming, sleep, the most dangerous of all sleep disorders, one of the most common sleep disorders identified, leading to one million Americans each year eighteen.
This condition can be divided into two main categories. "The central sleep apnea", caused by a neurological disorder that disrupts the brains signal to normal breathing and "The obstructive sleep apnea, characterized by the excessive relaxation or the collapse of the respiratory muscles surrounding roads, which in turn causes windpipe obstruction. Both forms involve the frequent arrest of breathing and the temporary suspension of the supply of oxygen to the brains, by means of suffering from sleep apnea to a significantly higher risk of hypertension, myocardial infarction and stroke.
Diagnosing sleep apnea can be difficult. Snoring, one of the most common symptoms associated with sleep apnea (resulting in many people refer to this as "the snoring disease"), often leads to misdiagnosis of the disease. In fact, snoring can be associated with a variety of sleep disorders and other conditions unrelated to sleep apnea.
When the brains perceive a lack of oxygen after a blocked windpipe, reacts by activating the suffering enough to start breathing, often causing snoring or sometimes coughing. Therefore, sleep apnea suffers have a very poor quality of sleep and awake feeling more tired than before they went to bed.
Feelings of exhaustion, fatigue and an overwhelming desire to sleep during the day, better known as excessive daytime sleepiness, characterize sleep apnea, especially if it is viewed in conjunction with other symptoms such as headache head morning, the apparent lethargy, loss of interest in sex, forgetfulness and difficulty concentrating.
The ongoing exhaustion and physical fatigue caused by undiagnosed or untreated sleep apnea may also lead to the emergence of serious psychiatric symptoms including depression, irritability and mood swings and behavior.
If you think you suffer from sleep apnea, you should seek medical advice and referral, if necessary, pass the appropriate tests.
There are a variety of effective treatments available for sleep apnea is central or obstructive. Most patients benefit greatly from one or more of these treatments, which are mainly simple behavioral adjustments like changing or modifying your sleeping position. Obstructive Sleep Apnea light after persistent nasal congestion may simply require a course of decongestants, while more severe sleep apnea using an oxygen mask may be needed to stimulate breathing during sleep consistently. In severe cases of obstructive sleep apnea, certain surgical procedures can help restore effective and consistent breathing during sleep, but patients have to go this way especially with caution, as surgery can often lead to complications.
An important point to note is that, because the risk of potentially fatal respiratory arrest, suffering from sleep apnea should not be sleeping pills or artificial sleep enhancers because of the dangers of the airways.
Natural sleep remedies are an effective complement to medically prescribed treatments and can certainly help people with the privilege of spending one more night. Medicinal plants to improve the quality and duration of sleep may help patients to manage and even reduce the otherwise excessive daytime sleepiness caused by sleep apnea.
Also, the use of aromatherapy, color therapy and guided relaxation and meditation help to reduce anxiety and insomnia sleep apnea patients experience as they learn to manage their sleep.
Autor: trev jones
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Added: February 21, 2010
Source:
http://articlerich.com/Article/Sleep-Apnea---Dangerous~
