If you are one of an estimated 20 million Americans who wake each morning wishing you could sleep for several more hours, you may be suffering from OSA: Obstructive Sleep Apnea; a common sleep disorder where the breathing airway is partially blocked by fatty neck tissue or by the uvula (the dangling tissue at the back of the throat). The blockage might cause breathing to stop for several seconds at a time: the break in breathing can even continue for up to a minute. These breaks are called sleep ‘apneas’ and might occur hundreds of times throughout a night’s sleep.
People suffering sleep apneas might be susceptible to heavy snoring through the night and be extremely tired during waking hours as a result of constant sleep interruption throughout each night, with feelings of irritability; moodiness; morning headaches and a general inability to deal with the normal ups and downs of daily life. Someone suffering from sleep apnea might also experience memory problems and reduced energy.
Remarkably, 90 – 95% of sleep apnea sufferers are unaware they have a problem and might be blissfully unaware of their battles to breathe normally through the night. The disorder can actually be dangerous, as it can prompt a number of serious conditions such as heart arrhythmias; stroke; metabolic syndrome; heart failure and high blood pressure. There is also a higher risk of depression for people with OSA.
Sleep apnea is thought to cause up to 200,000 traffic accidents in the USA each year as a result of drivers slipping into sleep behind the wheel! Lethargy and tiredness can also lead to a reluctance for exercise and put a person suffering from obesity at risk of further weight gain, although not all OSA sufferers are obese.
Luckily, OSA is easily treated: a sleep test is a comfortable process conducted in a laboratory or at home. Breathing sensors monitor the sleeper’s breathing; pulse and oxygen levels; collating information during the night to be analysed by medical sleep specialists. A CPAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure) machine may then be used to assist correct breathing during the night, providing air that is set at the correct pressure by means of a mask worn over the nose and mouth.
The Aviisha Medical Wellness Institute in Los Angeles is recognised to provide definitive sleep assessment and treatment for sleep disorders, including sleep apnea, through tests in sleep labs; home sleep analysis and customized weight loss programs for patients who suffer from sleep apnea and obesity. Aviisha customizes the most effective treatment plan for individual patients after analysing lifestyle and medical history.
