Why You Should Worry If You Have Problems Sleeping

Posted by Apnea
Categorized Under: Sleep Apnea Breathing Machine
Dated: 9 Dec 2009
Comments: 0

Most people do not think much about being unable to sleep. They think that the condition is temporary or unimportant as insomnia is a fairly common problem with many people. This could be true for some, since our modern, stressful lifestyle does affect sleep patterns.
Some would simply get a prescription for over the counter sleeping pills and not think any more about it. There is a need to educate people that sleeping pills is not a good solution as you will be immune to the effects of pills and your problem may become even worse.
So why is it important to ensure that your sleep problems are not something that could be symptoms of bigger health issues?
You could be suffering from sleep apnea if you feel tired through the day even after your regular night’s sleep and snore very loudly during sleep cycles. If your breathing stops for a period of time, in some cases up to a minute, you may be suffering from sleep disorder especially if this occurs several times during sleep. So how to sleep better?
Sleep medication, sleep devices and even surgeries are among the possible sleep aid solutions. Besides these, there are further steps you can take to help cure sleep apnea such as changing personal habits.
An addictive substance such as nicotine does little good for your body and should be avoided. Therefore, you should drop the smoking habit as well as stay away from substances that cause you to feel drowsy, such as alcohol and medicines as these will cause your airways to close by interfering with your sleep cycles.
If you are overweight, go on a sensible diet and exercise regime that not only helps keep your body in shape and increase self confidence, your health improves and reduces symptoms of sleep apnea. A way to keep your airway open during sleep cycles is by sleeping on your side.
Devices such as masks that use air pressure to keep airways open during sleep are helpful. Some other dental sleep apnea devices on the market are CPAP machines that work preventing your airway from being blocked by your tongue falling back into the throat. Mis-aligned teeth and saliva build up are some uncomfortable side effects from using these devices. Some anti-snoring devices also cause users to have headaches, dry mouth and dry nose.
You can also consider undergoing surgery to help with your sleep apnea disorder. In order to make the best informed decision, you should consult your doctor. Extra flesh from the uvula which is found at the back of your throat is removed and the pharynx and the soft palate are made tighter in the surgery. To help cure sleep apnea by improving sleep cycles, other nasal surgeries are available for consideration.
As you can see, the seemingly simply problem of not getting a good night’s rest can culminate to some rather serious health issues. Often, the problem is much more easily treated and resolved in the early stages rather than waiting for the condition to deteriorate into something that is much harder to treat.

What Are Sleep Apnea Masks? Perhaps An Answer To Your Sleeping Problems

Posted by Apnea
Categorized Under: Cures For Sleep Apnea
Dated: 17 Nov 2009
Comments: 0

Millions and millions of Americans suffer from sleep apnea, a stoppage of breathing while sleeping that is characterized by loud gasps, physical struggles, and morning headaches as well as tremendous feelings of fatigue and sleepiness during the day. Though there are many different cures for sleep apnea, most people can find a huge amount of relief through the use of sleep apnea masks.  They are called C-PAP masks that stand for Continuous Positive Airway Pressure mask.  Do not misunderstand; it is not the mask itself that cures sleep apnea.  It is important to note that the mask is linked by a lightweight air hose to a machine which makes continuous air that the sleeper is so direly in need of. How this works is that the machine blows gentle air into the nose or mouth of the person wearing the mask.  There is just enough air coming through that it keeps the patient’s throat from falling into a downward position that had previously hampered the facility of the patient to breathe. People look at the masks and immediately assume that there is no way they will ever be able to sleep wearing such a thing.  Quite the opposite is true, as most people have said that they’ve never slept so well as they have since acquiring a C-PAP machine. Sleep apnea masks come in a variety of types, headgear, sizes and designs.  Some are purely oral-air-delivery masks, some nasal-air-delivery masks and some a combination of both oral and nasal-air-delivery systems. The goal of each mask is to obtain perfect fit, sure delivery of air, all while keeping the person comfortable enough to sleep.  Soft silicone gels and seals provide comfort. There are even masks that do not even require headgear. Or you may be introduced to nasal pillows that allow the air to come through solely your nose while using a mask.  The machines themselves sometimes come integrated with heated humidifiers, are easy to transport for travel, and have settings chosen by your doctor that are individualized to especially serve your needs. New technology has been applied to the standard C-PAP machine. There is now have a BiPAP machine.  BiPAP is the abbreviation for Bi-level Positive Airway Pressure. It actually allows the constant air to be interrupted when the patient breathes out, and that is why it is referred to as Bi-level.  This means that you now no longer need to exhale against the constant air pressure.  Those who suffer from other breathing problems such as chronic obstructive pulmonary  disease, COPD, find that the Bi-PAP is more than helpful to them. Also, patients who suffer from neuromuscular diseases find it is much easier to use a Bi-PAP than a C-PAP. Those decisions for Bi-PAPs as opposed to C-PAPs are, of course, also made by your doctor or sleep therapist for you.  If you suffer from congenital heart disease, you may find that having sleep apnea was the cause of it, or partially the cause.  You will perhaps discover that either a C-PAP or sleep apnea masks are just the answer you have sought for many years of restless sleep, night sweats, heart palpitations and feeling as if you do not receive the restful sleep you seek.

Sleep Apnea Machines – Equipment To Let You Sleep Easier

Posted by Apnea
Categorized Under: Sleep Apnea
Dated: 13 Nov 2009
Comments: 0

Did you know there are approximately 18 million Americans that have sleep apnea? The statistics are staggering if you consider that 1 in 15 people in the U.S. are suffering from this problem every night. Many people suffer from sleep apnea for various reasons. For the person suffering from this disorder, there has to be a solution because this is one problem that can be a killer.Sleep Apnea Machines are one way the person who has this problem can rest a little easier. They are also called CPAP machines for Continuous Positive Airway Pressure. This makes it a little more clear. They do exactly what they say they do. They are handy machines with a lot of different features. They have a mask and hose, a Bi-level pressure or C-flex and a data card. Ok, so now you are asking what these are and what do they do. The mask is pretty self explanatory except the one thing it must do is fit properly. If it does not the air can leak out and this is defeating the purpose as well as being an annoyance to someone who is trying to sleep. The main reason the mask may slip is that the person suffering from sleep apnea is supposed to sleep on their side. If you have ever tried sleeping on your side with a mask on your face, you know the pillow can push the mask and make it slip and slide. So you should choose a smaller mask as well as a couple different types. One that sends the air to your mouth and not your nose or one that sends the air to your nose is available. Next is the bi-level pressure or C-Flex. The pressure is either a continual pressure such as the older models had or bi-level. This means the pressure is not as high when you breathe out. Called C-Flex as well this is a feature that if you did not have would make it very hard to breathe out. There is a model that will increase the pressure every so often (usually 5 minute intervals) until the full capacity is reached. There are heated humidifiers that are designed for keeping the airway from becoming too dry. Included as well is a battery pack. They also come with an adapter that you can use to hook to your car battery. A data storage is also available which records the information that it gathers as you are sleeping. The sleep apneas you experience and the amount of sleep you are getting are recorded and stored for a doctor to examine. The data can be stored for up to 9 months if necessary. Using a data card the information can be sent to your doctor or there are ones that you can hook to your personal computer. The method is up to you. The sleep apnea machines come with a choice of AC. It can be used in the U.S. or Europe. The hose that comes with the machine is standard at 6 feet however; you can get longer ones, up to 12 feet. Over 12 feet though and the pressure will not be maintained. If you need a hose longer than 12 feet you will have to use a machine that has increased pressure. Sleep Apnea Machines are very beneficial equipment for those who suffer from this problem. Without these, there could very well be many more people who would succumb to this disease.

Understanding Sleep Apnea CPAP

Posted by Apnea
Categorized Under: Sleep Apnea Breathing Machine
Dated: 13 Nov 2009
Comments: 0

For those who have sleep apnea, a sleep apnea CPAP machine is one solution that will help you feel more at ease about breathing while sleeping. Because sleep apnea can be so severe that a person may die from this disorder, a CPAP machine can give the peace of mind needed to sleep. The main purpose of this machine is to increase the air pressure in your throat to keep your airway from failing.When sleep apnea is diagnosed by a doctor, they normally use the CPAP machine to treat those who have moderate as well as severe sleep apnea. There are three types of sleep apnea.Central Sleep Apnea – This is the type that is caused by a problem with the brain. The way it signals the muscles responsible for keeping us breathing is compromised. This type is usually associated with heart failure, strokes, brain infections and brain tumors.Obstructive Sleep Apnea – This type is caused by the airflow to the throat becoming blocked while you are sleeping. It can also be caused by narrowed airways or being severely overweight can be another reason for this type of sleep apnea.Mixed Sleep Apnea – This occurs as a combination of the two mentioned above. It is normally recognized by very loud snoring. A restless sleep as well as having difficulty breathing is another clue. The sufferer may wake feeling exhausted and may have a headache. This type may be improved by the way you sleep and the CPAP machine has had great results with this as well.A CPAP machine usually is made with either a mask that goes over the mouth and the nose or a mask that only covers the nose. The NCPAP or nose only type is the most common. The machines may also have prongs that fit over the nose. The CPAP machine has had very good results decreasing the sleepiness sufferers of sleep apnea were experiencing. Those with severe as well as moderate sleep apnea have lowered their blood pressure by using the NCPAP machine.People who use the CPAP that suffer from coronary artery disease have fewer heart problems – the main one being heart failure. One of the main things you must remember when using a CPAP is to have regular appointment with your doctor. Often they may need to do additional sleep studies to make sure this is the correct treatment and that it is working satisfactorily. Often the CPAP machine will have to be adjusted.Those who have experienced any side effects from using the CPAP have mostly been moderate. Sometimes air will leak around the mask. This is only because it does not fit properly and once it is adjusted, this will stop. Some people have reported nightmares and more dreams than normal during the beginning of using the machine. This typically goes away. A dry nose, sore throat or a nose bleed can often be relieved by running a humidifier when you are sleeping and using the CPAP. There are other side effects such as headaches but seeing your doctor and advising him of these problems is the best way to take care of them.The benefits of the sleep apnea CPAP seem to far outweigh the problems when you think about the alternative which could ultimately be a heart attack, stroke or even death.