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Some of the people who snore are actually suffering from a condition knows as sleep apnea. A symptom of sleep apnea is snoring, and what is happening is the the snore actually stops breathing while they are asleep.

With sleep apnea the person stops breathing for 10 or more seconds five times, or more, every hour which can lead to there being low oxygen levels in the body which in turn leads to many more serious health conditions.

The three most likely people to suffer from sleep apnea are:

• Those who are overweight.
• Those who smoke cigarettes.
• Those who drink alcohol.

Regular snoring (the medical term is ‘primary snoring’), is often more of a problem for the spouse, significant other and family members or the snorer. However there are some possible serious effects that may develop where the snorer’s body is “struggling” to breath. This condition, a precursor to sleep apnea, is known as ‘Upper Airway Resistance Syndrome (UARS) .

which is a precursor to sleep apnea which results in extreme sleepiness, with such dangerous side-effects as falling asleep at the wheel while driving an automobile.

Beyond snoring is the serious condition of sleep apnea. It occurs when the person snoring gets to the point where they actually stop breathing for ten or more seconds, possibly a hundred or more times each night.

Stopping breath and severly interuptting you sleep can cause daytime sleepiness, a big increase in automobile accidents, irritability, personality change, restless sleep, headaches, and shortness of breath.

Having sleep apnea can result in other health conditions such as high blood pressure, heart disease … and even death. With such potentially serious problems as these, you can see why is a serious problem and it is very important to catch and treat it before it get too serious.

Signs of Sleep Apnea are;

• Waking up tired

• Daytime sleepiness

• Poor memory

• Impaired concentration

• Headaches, particularly in the morning

• Impotence in men

• Frequent need for night time urination.

There are two types of sleep apnea “Obstructive Sleep Apnea” and “Central Sleep Apnea”, although neither is good, “Central” is even more serious.

Obstructive sleep apnea is thought to mainly affect men who are 40 and 60 old and it is said to occur when the nasal passages and the upper airways become obstructed during sleep. Ordinarily the obstruction is caused by the soft tissue of the throat (the pharynx) simply relaxing during sleep. This obstruction prevents breathing until the levels of oxygen in the blood fall to such a low level that the sufferer wakens and responds by taking a deep breath – accompanied by snorting, rasping and other noises associated with snoring.

Obstructive sleep apnea is generally caused by, or made worse by, being overweight.

Central Sleep Apnea occurs when the nerves that automatically regulate breathing do not work properly It is a neurological problem; no “mechanical” obstruction is involved, as is the case with Obstructive Sleep Apnea.

In both cases, and if left untreated, severe sleep apnea can eventually become life threatening.

If you snore and notice any of the above mentioned symptoms, talk with your primary doctor and have it checked out.

When I was still a kid, my grandmother would say, “Do not sleep after a full dinner or else you will end up snoring.” I believed it then until I grew up and went to college where my biology teacher had a few other things to say. Sometimes people tend to relate a condition they have to something which science has determined as completely unrelated. This is the “old wive’s tale” and now I am here to dispel it for all of you.
Sleep apnea has three forms: The most common is called “Obstructive sleep apnea”. The second is “Brain related central sleep apnea” and the third is “Mixed sleep apnea”. Though they each have slight differences in their root causes, the effect is basically the same; sufferers stop breathing while sleeping. This is a serious matter and food intake before bedtime does not have anything to do with this! It is true that the wrong kind of foods may affect your sleep and you probably shouldn’t eat before bed but this is something completely different from what may cause snoring or sleep apnea! The stoppage in breathing is caused by an airway blockage due to the collapsing and closing of the tissue at the rear of the throat. This is followed by a loud snoring while the breath is being recovered.
Are you a sleep apnea sufferer? To know the answer, it is important to be aware of the symptoms. It is also best to know how to prevent these symptoms by understanding the causes in the first place. As a part of this awareness, the American Sleep Apnea Association, The National Sleep Foundation (NSF) and member organizations of the National Sleep Awareness Roundtable (NSART) are seeking funds to create more education and awareness about sleep apnea. They are producing materials for healthcare practitioners and the general public in order to encourage further research into this problem.
Now let us take a closer look at the root causes of sleep apnea. First, we must forget all other insignificant explanations! Instead, as my biology teacher once said, we will be like sponges and try to absorb all these very important facts! Studies have shown that men are at a fifty percent higher risk in developing sleep apnea and there has been a 2:1 male to-female ratio established for this disorder. Being overweight also poses a greater risk and this is explained by the fatty infiltration of the pharyngeal soft tissue in the throat. This infiltration narrows the caliber of the upper airway and therefore contributes to airway resistance. This means that the fatter the soft tissues that are in you, the greater possibility of airway blockage. People who have abnormalities in their nostril tissues are more prone to having this condition. Obviously, tissues around this area are the ones which collapse and close. Other abnormalities will also enhance more airway blockage.
There have been no published articles yet explaining why men, especially those over forty years of age, and young African Americans, are at a greater risk in developing sleep apnea. It is simply a fact. Although it can possibly be attributed to the higher percentage of men smoking and drinking.
Sleep apnea syndrome can strike anyone at any age, even children. Obesity among children, like in adults, causes sleep apnea. Airway obstruction among children is usually related to tonsiliar hypertrophy, adenoid hypertrophy, craniofacial abnormalities, and some type of neuromuscular disease such as dystrophy, spinal muscular atrophy, and cerebral palsy. Determining if your child’s face is normal is important to accurately know the cause and the possible development of sleep apnea. Inspect the midfacial hypoplasia, a flat nasal bridge, or a facial asymmetry. You should also determine if your child’s jaw is abnormally small or recessed. Assess if your child can open his or her mouth fully or if there is a limited jaw movement. Assess the size of your child’s oral pharynx and note if it seems crowded by tonsil hypertrophy, large tongue or by the dentition. All of those abnormality assessments must be done for a proper evaluation. Assistance from a healthcare professional is still the best option if symptoms of sleep apnea arise among your children.
Though there are many sleep apnea medications available today, we still need to provide ourselves and our family the healthy sleep we all need. This can only be done by determining the causes and prevention of sleep apnea. With the causes of sleep apnea syndrome exposed to many, the risk and those who are at a greater risk of developing such condition may now be reduced. Thanks to the scientific research and health organizations, we now have a greater means of prevention for sleep apnea.

Many studies on sleep patterns have been done throughout the years. Sleep experts say we need between six and eight hours of sleep to feel rested and function at our best during the day. For some, this simply means going to bed at a reasonable time. However, there are people who cannot feel rested no matter what time they go to bed because they snore, share the bed with someone who snores, or suffer from sleep apnea. Losing an hour or more of sleep a night because of snoring can add up over time. In the case of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), the consequences can affect the health of the individual.

OSA is a condition in which an individual stops breathing due to their airway collapsing during sleep and blocking their breathing for up to ten seconds each time. When the OSA is serious, this cessation can occur more than 30 times an hour. These cessations in breathing cause the blood oxygen levels to decrease dramatically. Lower oxygen levels in the blood raise the threat of heart attack, high blood pressure and stroke.

Causes of Sleep Apnea and Snoring

As we sleep, our muscles are relaxed. When the tongue and throat muscles relax, they can block the airway. A partial collapse of the airway results in the sound we call snoring. A complete collapse of the airway cuts off breathing and results in an apneic event. When this happens, you will wake up and begin breathing again because your muscles are no longer relaxed. This may happen as little as five times every hour, or as many as 30 or more times an hour. Obviously, your sleep pattern is going to be affected.

People who are obese, smoke, or consume alcohol have a higher chance of snoring and a greater risk of OSA. Men are more likely to suffer from OSA than women are.

Oral Appliances

If you suffer from snoring or have been diagnosed by a sleep apnea specialist, you may find treatment through oral appliance therapy. Oral appliances are custom-fitted for each patient to minimize the effects of snoring or sleep apnea in a variety of ways. By correcting the position of the jaw, or repositioning the jaw, the tongue and soft tissue will no longer interfere with your airway. One of the most effective oral appliances is the SomnoDent mandibular advancement splint (MAS), manufactured by SomnoMed.

SomnoDent MAS

The SomnoDent MAS is worn over the teeth, much like a sports mouth guard, as you sleep. It pushes the jaw forward from its natural position and, like other oral appliances, keeps the tongue in position and tightens the soft tissue to keep your airway open. Studies have shown that over 60% of patients who wear SomnoDent MAS experience a complete halt in OSA, and those who still have symptoms have a 50% decrease in the severity of their sleep apnea. Episodes of snoring decreased 43% in studies and lowered the volume of snoring (something your bed partner would probably be grateful for).

SomnoDent MAS features a patented â??fin-couplingâ? component which allows the wearer to speak and drink as they normally would.

If you suffer from snoring or believe you may have obstructive sleep apnea and are interested in finding out if SomnoDent MAS by SomnoMed is right for you, please contact Dr. Ira L. Shapira at the Snoring and Sleep Apnea Treatment Center for a free consultation.

Sleep apnea is one of the commonest of all sleep disorders and affects approximately eighteen million people in the United States. A sleep disorder which is characterized by interrupted breathing during sleep, it is also unquestionably the most dangerous of sleep disorders because it starves the brain of essential oxygen and can sometimes prove to be fatal.

There are two completely different forms of sleep apnea. Central sleep apnea is in essence a neurological condition in which the breathing is interrupted as a result of signals sent from the brain. Obstructive sleep apnea by contrast is in essence a mechanical problem in which the windpipe is blocked either by excessive tissue or by the abnormal collapse or relaxation of the muscles around the windpipe. In either case however the results are essentially identical with regular interruptions to normal breathing that deprive the brain of oxygen and put the sufferer at greater risk from things like high blood pressure, heart attack and stroke.

Sadly, diagnosing sleep apnea is not always easy because snoring, which is a common symptom and often results in sleep apnea being known as the snoring disease, is also present as a symptom of various other conditions. Snoring is usually present in cases of sleep apnea because the brain responds to a drop in oxygen by awakening the sufferer sufficiently to restart the breathing process and this usually produces snoring.

This repeated awakening through the night also causes a very poor quality of sleep and it is not at all uncommon for sleep apnea sufferers to get up in the morning feeling even more tired than when they went to bed. This also results in a feeling of exhaustion during the day and an overpowering desire to sleep.

However, tiredness resulting from a poor quality of sleep is just one part of the picture and a range of other symptoms will also generally be present including morning headaches, poor memory and a problem in concentrating.

Without treatment the growing exhaustion from sleep apnea can produce severe psychological difficulties beginning with touchiness and progressing to depression with noticeable changes in both mood and behavior.

Both obstructive sleep apnea and central sleep apnea can be treated and, providing the problem is caught at an early stage, treatment is often reasonably easy. For example, a mild case of obstructive sleep apnea resulting from nasal congestion can normally be treated with little more than a course of decongestants. In the same way, a lot of cases of sleep apnea that are not too severe can be treated with a mask that is worn during sleep and that delivers a constant pressure of air to keep the airway open. Finally, in the most severe cases of sleep apnea surgery might be required and can be extremely effective, though it can also lead to various complications and has to be approached with care.

Probably the most important thing to remember when treating sleep apnea is that as it carries with it the potentially fatal risk of respiratory failure sufferers ought not to be tempted to use sleeping pills or to take other forms of sleep enhancers without the approval of a doctor.

Natural sleep remedies unquestionably provide an effective complement to prescribed medication and herbal remedies which are intended to improve both the quality and duration of sleep may well help in the management of the excessive daytime sleepiness normally brought on by sleep apnea. Similarly, things like aromatherapy, chromatherapy and meditation and guided relaxation can help to reduce the anxiety and insomnia that come with sleep apnea.

The sleeping problem called sleep apnea is well known today. Certain pauses in the air intake that cause the patients to wake up throughout the night are a major problem faced by many people. People with this sleeping disorder will feel drowsy with severe headache when they wake up. Their whole day will be ruined because of their drowsiness. This article is all about sleep apnea and the treatment options that are available today for this dangerous sleeping disorder.Types Of Sleep ApneaSleep Apnea is classified into three main types such as:Central sleep apnea (CSA), Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), and Mixed sleep apnea Before explaining about the different types of this sleeping disorder, we’d like to say that all types of sleep apnea will have the same effects: sleeplessness, drowsiness and severe headache. Now let’s explain more about the three different types of sleep apnea.1. Central Sleep Apnea (CSA)The central type of sleep apnea is closely associated with the brain impulses. Under certain conditions, the brain will fail to send the impulse required to stimulate breathing resulting in some discontinued breath cycle. Central sleep apnea is occurs more often in people who have heart disease, cerebrovascular disease, or congenital diseases. Recent researches indicate that central sleep apnea will can occur as a result of consuming certain kinds of medication.2. Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA)This sleeping disorder is caused due to the narrowing of the air passage than normal. The obstructive sleep apnea can be related to many other medical problems such as high blood pressure, Heart problems, Weight gain, Constant tiredness, Diabetes, Slow metabolism, Memory/concentration problems, Depression, Anxiety, Sore throat and Dry mouth. 3. Mixed sleep apneaAs the name indicates, this type of sleep apnea is a combination of both central sleep apnea and obstructive sleep apnea. The treatment options available for Sleep apnea:Unlike the past, today there are many treatment options available for the treatment of this sleeping disorder. CPAP therapy is widely used for the treatment of sleep apnea. This therapy involves air that is pushed into the respiratory system with the help of a special device called a CPAP machine. The machine is hooked up to a CPAP mask that resembles a ventilator in looks and pumps air into the air passage when the sleep apnea cycle occurs.The Difficulties of using CPAP masksPeople using the CPAP masks have reported five main difficulties like:* Air leakage* Pressure from headgear* Limited sleep positions* Skin irritation* NoiseThe Solution:All the 5 difficulties associated with the traditional CPAP masks are overcome by a technological breakthrough. Various researches confirm that the latest invention called “SleepWeaver CPAP mask” eliminates all the 5 difficulties involved in the traditional CPAP therapy.

Sleep apnea is a serious sleep disorder that occurs when a person stops breathing repeatedly while sleeping.  Sleep apnea can affect anyone at any age, including children.  Risk factors include being overweight, male gender, being over forty years of age, having a family history of sleep apnea, having a larger neck size, or having larger tonsils.  If left untreated sleep apnea could lead to hypertension, stroke, or heart problems such as a heart attack, heart failure, or irregular heart beat.  Sleep apnea can cause you to be less productive at work or school and increases your chances of having a car accident because of your sleep loss.  There are two types of sleep apnea: obstructive sleep apnea and central sleep apnea.  Before diagnosing sleep apnea you must understand what it is.  Sleep apnea occurs when someone has completely stopped breathing for 10 seconds or more while they are sleeping.  Sometimes these apnea episodes completely wake a person, other times they just bring someone to a shallow level of sleep from a deep level.  This interrupted sleep may not be noticed by the person with the sleep apnea, instead it may alert your bed partner.  There are two types of sleep apnea: central sleep apnea and obstructive sleep apnea.  Central sleep apnea occurs when the brain doesn’t send the signal to breathe to the breathing muscles.  This is more common in people with brain injuries or heart diseases.  Obstructive sleep apnea means the airway has actually been obstructed by your tongue going backwards or enlarged tonsils.  Sleep apnea is a serious sleep disorder.If you have symptoms of sleep apnea your doctor may ask you to have a sleep apnea test done at a sleep disorder center.  This test would be done after a physical exam and medical history.  People who have sleep apnea in their family history are at a higher risk for sleep apnea themselves.  A sleep study (polysomnogram) is a multiple-component test that electronically transmits and records specific physical activities while you are sleeping.  In a polysomnogram an EEG is used to record brain wave activity, an EMG records such things as teeth grinding, an EOG to record eye movements which tells the sleep stage you are in, an EKG for your heart rate, a nasal airflow sensor to record airflow, and a snore microphone records your snoring activity.  All of these results are then read by a sleep specialist and given to your doctor to determine if you have sleep apnea.If you have a mild case of obstructive sleep apnea you may be able to fix the problem by doing some behavioral changes.  These changes include changing your position while sleeping; sometimes apneas occur only in a certain position which is usually lying flat on your back.  Obesity is a contributive factor to obstructive sleep apnea.  Losing 10% of your body weight would improve your sleep apnea.  Some people with sleep apnea find this hard to do because the sleep loss leaves them too tired to exercise; in turn making them gain more weight which worsens the sleep apnea.  If the apnea is treated a different way it usually leads to people being able to lose weight since they won’t be as tired.

You may already know that the term sleep apnea refers to any cessation of breathing during sleep; apnea means a loss of breath and so sleep apnea is when a person stops breathing when asleep. However one of the most dangerous forms of this condition is central sleep apnea, where the body fails to signal the lungs to inhale on a regular basis. Oxygen isn't getting in to the body as it should if a person isn't inhaling properly and regularly. This regular cycle of oxygen is so important that the body can and does force itself to breathe even if you consciously try to hold your breath. Central sleep apnea musn't be ignored.

During periods of central sleep apnea, the heart will respond to this lack of oxygen intake by increasing the heart rate, causing stress and strain to the heart muscles. When you exercise you heart rate speeds up which is good for you but this is not the same. An increased heart rate during exercise is always accompanied by breathing oxygen in and carbon dioxide out, but not so with central sleep apnea! The heart is having to work harder but it is doing so without oxygen which can be very damaging.

It is thought that seizurescan be caused by central sleep apnea. This is caused by the sudden drop in blood oxygen levels, and this occurs whether the person has a seizure disorder or not. Other complications from central sleep apnea include angina and heart attacks as the heart is being damaged with each episode. Additionally, the lack of regular breathing that occurs with any form of sleep apnea can result in a buildup of carbon dioxide in the bloodstream which means blood poisoning.

As with all kinds of sleep apnea, central sleep apnea should be investigated as soon as possible. A person that is overweight should endeavor to bring their weight under control. A snore pillow can keep the head from falling back and the tongue from blocking the throat and airway. A humidifier in the bedroom can help with keeping sinuses open. In severe cases, especially when dealing with central sleep apnea, a CPAP machine can keep oxygen pumping into the body at regular intervals. At any rate, this is not a condition to be ignored or dismissed but should be addressed!