Sleep Disorders – What’s keeping you up at night?

Posted by Apnea
Categorized Under: Cures For Sleep Apnea
Dated: 15 Dec 2009
Comments: 0

It’s not just the economy that keeps many of us wide-awake in the dark – although it certainly doesn’t help!

Sleep disorders are becoming more and more common in todays’ ‘hurry-hurry, busy-busy’ world. With so much to do, and so little time, sleep is starting to be seen as a luxury rather than a necessity. But your body disagrees wholeheartedly.

Sleep is absolutely necessary to your physical and emotional health, and when we don’t pay attention to our bodys’ need for our full 8 hours of sleep, there’s a price to pay.

INSOMNIA

A dictionary definition of insomnia is… ‘a prolonged and usually abnormal inability to obtain adequate sleep’. This could mean you have difficulty falling asleep, or staying asleep. You may climb into bed and then lie awake until 1am staring at the ceiling. Or maybe you fall asleep right away, but wake up at 1am….and again at 2am…. and again at 3:30am… you get the picture. You may even fall asleep, stay that way for a few hours and then wake at 4am and stay that way until your alarm clock goes off.

All these scenarios can be covered by the term ‘insomnia’, and this sleep disorder can have physical or emotional causes. When we’re stressed to the max, or going through an emotional upheaval, it can interfere with our sleep patterns. Many cases of insomnia fall under the ‘Transient Insomnia’ heading, and can last for just a couple of nights, to one week. ‘Short-term Insomnia’ covers sleep disturbances lasting anywhere between one week and one month, while ‘Chronic Insomnia’ can go on indefinitely.

And it’s not just adults that suffer from insomnia, increasing numbers of teenagers and younger children are also finding sleep difficult to come by. There are many approaches to treating insomnia, these include :

Improving your sleep hygiene and setting up a regular bedtime routine/sleep schedule

Paying close attention to your diet – certain drinks/foods/activities can make it more difficult to sleep well. It’s also been found that other foods/drinks can increase your chances of getting a good nights’ sleep

Reducing stress and anxiety levels with alternative remedies such as relaxation or hypnotherapy techniques, aromatherapy and more

SLEEP APNEA

This sleep disorders’ name is derived from the Greek word ‘apnoia’, which simply translated, means ‘without breath’. And that describes it pretty well. Sleep apnea sufferers literally stop breathing multiple times during sleep, and they may or may not, be aware of it! Excessive snoring, accompanied by snorting/grunting/gasping sounds, is the prime symptom of this disorder, and is often most easily recognized by the sufferers’ sleeping partner or roommate. If you think you are getting a full nights’ sleep, but feel constantly exhausted, sleep apnea may be be the culprit.

There are serious health issues which can result from untreated sleep apnea, in addition to chronic daytime sleepiness, these may include often waking up with a sore/dry throat, recurrent/persistent heartburn, frequent waking during the night with the feeling that you’re gasping for breath, weight gain, high blood pressure, heart irregularities (such as palpitations or ‘pounding’) and more.

Luckily, sleep apnea is easily treated using CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure). Sufferers wear a mask attached to a machine that provides a constant flow of air into their lungs while asleep. This keeps the airways open and prevents the episodes of apnea.

RESTLESS LEG SYNDROME

Also known as RLS, this sleep disorders’ name is pretty self-explanatory. People with RLS experience an uncomfortable sensation in their legs (it can vary from person to person and has been described as a ‘crawling/prickling/cramping feeling (and other similar terms).

This feeling makes it extremely uncomfortable, even impossible, to keep your legs still…. hence the name! Although scientists and researchers still have a lot to learn about this disorder, there are certain conditions and activities that they believe cause (or contribute to) Restless Leg Syndrome, they include ;

Being overweight or obese

Having ADHD

Hormonal fluctuations – such as during pregnancy, or menopause

Certain illnesses including anemia, arthritis, diabetes and others

There are a few medications that are available to treat RLS, but for many people finding (and eliminating) the ‘trigger’ behind their restless legs, and/or using massage, relaxation or exercise techniques are very effective.

SNORING

Researchers estimate that about half of all the adults in the US snore, and about 50% of them do so chronically (on a regular basis). Quite a number of children and teens also experience this. Although snoring is sometimes thought of as a bit of a joke, it’s not funny to the sufferer and most definitely not amusing to his sleeping partner or room mate/s!

The most common causes of snoring are enlarged tonsils or adenoids, being overweight or obese, allergies and poor muscle tone in the throat due to smoking/alcohol/aging. There are also several others.

Figuring out what is causing you to snore is vital, and your doctor can help here. If your snoring is severe, or accompanied by gasping/snorting/coughing and so on, consider Sleep Apnea as a possibility.

There are all kinds of treatments for snoring, from losing weight or giving up alcohol, to dental appliances, minor surgery and more.

NARCOLEPSY

This sleep disorder is much less common than the ones mentioned above, but it is pretty disruptive and often scary for people who experience it.

It’s characterized by an overwhelming desire to sleep, and narcolepsy sufferers are at risk of falling asleep at any time whether they’re working, driving or participating in any other daily activity. This is obviously a dangerous situation.

Other symptoms of narcolepsy sometimes include sudden muscle weakness or sleep paralysis, and vivid hallucination-like dreams which occur just as they fall asleep or wake up. Although there isn’t a cure for narcolepsy just yet, there are various treatment options which are effective at controlling the symptoms so that sufferers can live their lives normally (and safely!).

Sleep is so important to the human body that you will actually die if you’re deprived of sleep indefinitely. Even on a less dramatic scale, it’s certainly very destructive to your health to go without adequate sleep on a regular basis.

If you are always exhausted, you’re emotions are volatile, your patience/temper is short, you seem to be extra ‘clumsy’ or are always having minor accidents, if you frequently feel drowsy when driving…………… or there are any other signs that you are not getting enough restful sleep, it’s very important to see your doctor.

He/she will be able to find out what is causing the problem and prescribe treatment, or even refer you to a sleep lab or sleep clinic for further evaluation.

Sleep Disorders – What’s keeping you up at night?

Posted by Apnea
Categorized Under: Sleep Apnea Breathing Machine
Dated: 8 Dec 2009
Comments: 0

It’s not just the economy that keeps many of us wide-awake in the dark – although it certainly doesn’t help!

Sleep disorders are becoming more and more common in todays’ ‘hurry-hurry, busy-busy’ world. With so much to do, and so little time, sleep is starting to be seen as a luxury rather than a necessity. But your body disagrees wholeheartedly.

Sleep is absolutely necessary to your physical and emotional health, and when we don’t pay attention to our bodys’ need for our full 8 hours of sleep, there’s a price to pay.

INSOMNIA

A dictionary definition of insomnia is… ‘a prolonged and usually abnormal inability to obtain adequate sleep’. This could mean you have difficulty falling asleep, or staying asleep. You may climb into bed and then lie awake until 1am staring at the ceiling. Or maybe you fall asleep right away, but wake up at 1am….and again at 2am…. and again at 3:30am… you get the picture. You may even fall asleep, stay that way for a few hours and then wake at 4am and stay that way until your alarm clock goes off.

All these scenarios can be covered by the term ‘insomnia’, and this sleep disorder can have physical or emotional causes. When we’re stressed to the max, or going through an emotional upheaval, it can interfere with our sleep patterns. Many cases of insomnia fall under the ‘Transient Insomnia’ heading, and can last for just a couple of nights, to one week. ‘Short-term Insomnia’ covers sleep disturbances lasting anywhere between one week and one month, while ‘Chronic Insomnia’ can go on indefinitely.

And it’s not just adults that suffer from insomnia, increasing numbers of teenagers and younger children are also finding sleep difficult to come by. There are many approaches to treating insomnia, these include :

Improving your sleep hygiene and setting up a regular bedtime routine/sleep schedule

Paying close attention to your diet – certain drinks/foods/activities can make it more difficult to sleep well. It’s also been found that other foods/drinks can increase your chances of getting a good nights’ sleep

Reducing stress and anxiety levels with alternative remedies such as relaxation or hypnotherapy techniques, aromatherapy and more

SLEEP APNEA

This sleep disorders’ name is derived from the Greek word ‘apnoia’, which simply translated, means ‘without breath’. And that describes it pretty well. Sleep apnea sufferers literally stop breathing multiple times during sleep, and they may or may not, be aware of it! Excessive snoring, accompanied by snorting/grunting/gasping sounds, is the prime symptom of this disorder, and is often most easily recognized by the sufferers’ sleeping partner or roommate. If you think you are getting a full nights’ sleep, but feel constantly exhausted, sleep apnea may be be the culprit.

There are serious health issues which can result from untreated sleep apnea, in addition to chronic daytime sleepiness, these may include often waking up with a sore/dry throat, recurrent/persistent heartburn, frequent waking during the night with the feeling that you’re gasping for breath, weight gain, high blood pressure, heart irregularities (such as palpitations or ‘pounding’) and more.

Luckily, sleep apnea is easily treated using CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure). Sufferers wear a mask attached to a machine that provides a constant flow of air into their lungs while asleep. This keeps the airways open and prevents the episodes of apnea.

RESTLESS LEG SYNDROME

Also known as RLS, this sleep disorders’ name is pretty self-explanatory. People with RLS experience an uncomfortable sensation in their legs (it can vary from person to person and has been described as a ‘crawling/prickling/cramping feeling (and other similar terms).

This feeling makes it extremely uncomfortable, even impossible, to keep your legs still…. hence the name! Although scientists and researchers still have a lot to learn about this disorder, there are certain conditions and activities that they believe cause (or contribute to) Restless Leg Syndrome, they include ;

Being overweight or obese

Having ADHD

Hormonal fluctuations – such as during pregnancy, or menopause

Certain illnesses including anemia, arthritis, diabetes and others

There are a few medications that are available to treat RLS, but for many people finding (and eliminating) the ‘trigger’ behind their restless legs, and/or using massage, relaxation or exercise techniques are very effective.

SNORING

Researchers estimate that about half of all the adults in the US snore, and about 50% of them do so chronically (on a regular basis). Quite a number of children and teens also experience this. Although snoring is sometimes thought of as a bit of a joke, it’s not funny to the sufferer and most definitely not amusing to his sleeping partner or room mate/s!

The most common causes of snoring are enlarged tonsils or adenoids, being overweight or obese, allergies and poor muscle tone in the throat due to smoking/alcohol/aging. There are also several others.

Figuring out what is causing you to snore is vital, and your doctor can help here. If your snoring is severe, or accompanied by gasping/snorting/coughing and so on, consider Sleep Apnea as a possibility.

There are all kinds of treatments for snoring, from losing weight or giving up alcohol, to dental appliances, minor surgery and more.

NARCOLEPSY

This sleep disorder is much less common than the ones mentioned above, but it is pretty disruptive and often scary for people who experience it.

It’s characterized by an overwhelming desire to sleep, and narcolepsy sufferers are at risk of falling asleep at any time whether they’re working, driving or participating in any other daily activity. This is obviously a dangerous situation.

Other symptoms of narcolepsy sometimes include sudden muscle weakness or sleep paralysis, and vivid hallucination-like dreams which occur just as they fall asleep or wake up. Although there isn’t a cure for narcolepsy just yet, there are various treatment options which are effective at controlling the symptoms so that sufferers can live their lives normally (and safely!).

Sleep is so important to the human body that you will actually die if you’re deprived of sleep indefinitely. Even on a less dramatic scale, it’s certainly very destructive to your health to go without adequate sleep on a regular basis.

If you are always exhausted, you’re emotions are volatile, your patience/temper is short, you seem to be extra ‘clumsy’ or are always having minor accidents, if you frequently feel drowsy when driving…………… or there are any other signs that you are not getting enough restful sleep, it’s very important to see your doctor.

He/she will be able to find out what is causing the problem and prescribe treatment, or even refer you to a sleep lab or sleep clinic for further evaluation.

Sleep Disorders – What’s keeping you up at night?

Posted by Apnea
Categorized Under: Sleep Apnea Breathing Machine
Dated: 8 Dec 2009
Comments: 0

It’s not just the economy that keeps many of us wide-awake in the dark – although it certainly doesn’t help!

Sleep disorders are becoming more and more common in todays’ ‘hurry-hurry, busy-busy’ world. With so much to do, and so little time, sleep is starting to be seen as a luxury rather than a necessity. But your body disagrees wholeheartedly.

Sleep is absolutely necessary to your physical and emotional health, and when we don’t pay attention to our bodys’ need for our full 8 hours of sleep, there’s a price to pay.

INSOMNIA

A dictionary definition of insomnia is… ‘a prolonged and usually abnormal inability to obtain adequate sleep’. This could mean you have difficulty falling asleep, or staying asleep. You may climb into bed and then lie awake until 1am staring at the ceiling. Or maybe you fall asleep right away, but wake up at 1am….and again at 2am…. and again at 3:30am… you get the picture. You may even fall asleep, stay that way for a few hours and then wake at 4am and stay that way until your alarm clock goes off.

All these scenarios can be covered by the term ‘insomnia’, and this sleep disorder can have physical or emotional causes. When we’re stressed to the max, or going through an emotional upheaval, it can interfere with our sleep patterns. Many cases of insomnia fall under the ‘Transient Insomnia’ heading, and can last for just a couple of nights, to one week. ‘Short-term Insomnia’ covers sleep disturbances lasting anywhere between one week and one month, while ‘Chronic Insomnia’ can go on indefinitely.

And it’s not just adults that suffer from insomnia, increasing numbers of teenagers and younger children are also finding sleep difficult to come by. There are many approaches to treating insomnia, these include :

Improving your sleep hygiene and setting up a regular bedtime routine/sleep schedule

Paying close attention to your diet – certain drinks/foods/activities can make it more difficult to sleep well. It’s also been found that other foods/drinks can increase your chances of getting a good nights’ sleep

Reducing stress and anxiety levels with alternative remedies such as relaxation or hypnotherapy techniques, aromatherapy and more

SLEEP APNEA

This sleep disorders’ name is derived from the Greek word ‘apnoia’, which simply translated, means ‘without breath’. And that describes it pretty well. Sleep apnea sufferers literally stop breathing multiple times during sleep, and they may or may not, be aware of it! Excessive snoring, accompanied by snorting/grunting/gasping sounds, is the prime symptom of this disorder, and is often most easily recognized by the sufferers’ sleeping partner or roommate. If you think you are getting a full nights’ sleep, but feel constantly exhausted, sleep apnea may be be the culprit.

There are serious health issues which can result from untreated sleep apnea, in addition to chronic daytime sleepiness, these may include often waking up with a sore/dry throat, recurrent/persistent heartburn, frequent waking during the night with the feeling that you’re gasping for breath, weight gain, high blood pressure, heart irregularities (such as palpitations or ‘pounding’) and more.

Luckily, sleep apnea is easily treated using CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure). Sufferers wear a mask attached to a machine that provides a constant flow of air into their lungs while asleep. This keeps the airways open and prevents the episodes of apnea.

RESTLESS LEG SYNDROME

Also known as RLS, this sleep disorders’ name is pretty self-explanatory. People with RLS experience an uncomfortable sensation in their legs (it can vary from person to person and has been described as a ‘crawling/prickling/cramping feeling (and other similar terms).

This feeling makes it extremely uncomfortable, even impossible, to keep your legs still…. hence the name! Although scientists and researchers still have a lot to learn about this disorder, there are certain conditions and activities that they believe cause (or contribute to) Restless Leg Syndrome, they include ;

Being overweight or obese

Having ADHD

Hormonal fluctuations – such as during pregnancy, or menopause

Certain illnesses including anemia, arthritis, diabetes and others

There are a few medications that are available to treat RLS, but for many people finding (and eliminating) the ‘trigger’ behind their restless legs, and/or using massage, relaxation or exercise techniques are very effective.

SNORING

Researchers estimate that about half of all the adults in the US snore, and about 50% of them do so chronically (on a regular basis). Quite a number of children and teens also experience this. Although snoring is sometimes thought of as a bit of a joke, it’s not funny to the sufferer and most definitely not amusing to his sleeping partner or room mate/s!

The most common causes of snoring are enlarged tonsils or adenoids, being overweight or obese, allergies and poor muscle tone in the throat due to smoking/alcohol/aging. There are also several others.

Figuring out what is causing you to snore is vital, and your doctor can help here. If your snoring is severe, or accompanied by gasping/snorting/coughing and so on, consider Sleep Apnea as a possibility.

There are all kinds of treatments for snoring, from losing weight or giving up alcohol, to dental appliances, minor surgery and more.

NARCOLEPSY

This sleep disorder is much less common than the ones mentioned above, but it is pretty disruptive and often scary for people who experience it.

It’s characterized by an overwhelming desire to sleep, and narcolepsy sufferers are at risk of falling asleep at any time whether they’re working, driving or participating in any other daily activity. This is obviously a dangerous situation.

Other symptoms of narcolepsy sometimes include sudden muscle weakness or sleep paralysis, and vivid hallucination-like dreams which occur just as they fall asleep or wake up. Although there isn’t a cure for narcolepsy just yet, there are various treatment options which are effective at controlling the symptoms so that sufferers can live their lives normally (and safely!).

Sleep is so important to the human body that you will actually die if you’re deprived of sleep indefinitely. Even on a less dramatic scale, it’s certainly very destructive to your health to go without adequate sleep on a regular basis.

If you are always exhausted, you’re emotions are volatile, your patience/temper is short, you seem to be extra ‘clumsy’ or are always having minor accidents, if you frequently feel drowsy when driving…………… or there are any other signs that you are not getting enough restful sleep, it’s very important to see your doctor.

He/she will be able to find out what is causing the problem and prescribe treatment, or even refer you to a sleep lab or sleep clinic for further evaluation.

Hypopnea

Posted by Apnea
Categorized Under: Sleep Apnea Ahi
Dated: 14 Nov 2009
Comments: 0

While eupnoea is normal breathing, hypopnea is an abnormal type of breathing when the airflow is labored because of some pathology of the respiratory system. In other words it’s underbreathing. Hypopnea comes from the Greek roots hypo- (meaning low, under, beneath, down, below normal) and pnoe (meaning breathing). Among other abnormal breathing patterns are: bradypnea – rare and slow breath, dyspnea – intense breath with a shortness, sometimes with cyanosis, hyperpnea – the increased amplitude of breathing at the normal rate, tachypnea – quickened and fast breathing, oligopnea – weakening of respiratory movements accompanied with reduction of breath. Hypopnea is often confused with apnea. But while hypopnea is a reduced amplitude of breathing at the normal rate, apnea is a total cessation of breathing.

Hypopnea can occur during sleep. In this case it may turn into a serious sleeping disorder. Sleep hypopnea can be characterized by person’s repetitive stops of breathing or low breathing for short periods of time during sleep. Speaking in anatomical terms, there is intermittent collapse of the upper airway and reductions in blood oxygen levels during sleep. Thus, a sleeping person becomes incapable to breathe normally and awakens with each collapse. Quantity and quality of sleep is lowered, what results in sleep deprivation and excessive daytime sleepiness. The most usual physiological consequences of hypopnea are cognitive disfunction, coronary artery disease, myocardial infarction, hypertension, memory loss, heart attack, stroke, impotence, psychiatric problems. People suffering from sleep hypopnea increase considerably the overall number of traffic accidents. Their productivity is diminished and they have constant emotional problems and strains.

The most common hypopnea symptoms are: loss of energy, forgetfulness, excessive sleepiness, snoring, lack of concentration, depression, rapid changes in mood and behavior, morning headaches, nervousness.

There is the so called hypopnea index that can be calculated by dividing the number of hypopneas by the number of hours of sleep. But as far as hypopnea is closely related to apnea most often we speak of the apnea-hypopnea index (AHI). AHI is an index of severity that combines apneas and hypopneas. It is calculated by dividing the number of apneas and hypopneas by the number of hours of sleep correspondingly. When AHI is positive we usually speak of sleep-disordered breathing or SDB.

Although hypopnea itself is not a mortal disease, if it is not treated properly it may shorten a person’s life considerably by aggravating other diseases. CPAP, or continuous positive airway pressure, is considered to be the most effective treatment of hypopnea. It is usually used in case of heavy hypopnea. A patient puts up a mask over his nose or mouth while an air blower forces air through the upper airway. The air pressure is adjusted in a way to avoid the upper airway tissues from collapsing during sleep. Mild hypopnea is treated more conservatively. In the majority of cases hypopnea treatment presupposes refusing from alcohol and smoking before sleep, strengthening gullet muscles by doing certain excercises, avoiding sleeping on the back. Also there is a straight relation between weight loss and improvement of breathing while sleeping. It is established that abnormal breathing patterns during sleep such as sleep apnea and hypopnea, obesity hyperventilation syndrome, etc. usually improve when eating disorders causing overweight and obesity are properly treated.

Learning About The Various Causes And Treatments Of Sleep Apnea

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

Sleep is something that everyone needs in order to maintain optimal health. Some people might say that they only need a couple of hours of sleep a night in order to properly function, but the reality is that all people need to get at least eight hours of sleep a night on a regular basis. There are some people who think that they are doing just that, but while they sleep they might be suffering from an underlying sleep problem.Take, for example, the situation of a person who is suffering from sleep apnea. This is a serious sleep disorder in which a person stops breathing at random while they are asleep. In some people, this lack of oxygen causes them to wake up, while other people keep on sleeping. Sleep apnea can become fatal for this latter group if it is not properly diagnosed as soon as possible. How can a person get sleep apnea in the first place? There are several different possible causes of this sleep disorder, but one of the most common causes is morbid obesity. When a person is extremely overweight, this extra weight is affecting every part of their body, and especially their circulatory system. The circulatory system is part of what supports proper brain function.The brain sends signals to various areas of the body in order for the body to work properly. Most of the time, the brain sends these signals automatically, without the person even being cognizant of it happening. For example, people breathe automatically because the brain sends signals to the parasympathetic nervous for this purpose. However, when a person is morbidly obese, a chain reaction of sorts happens. The circulatory system becomes impaired, so the brain function might also. The parasympathetic nervous system might not be alerted by the brain at this point, and that is when the breathing becomes halted. In some people they might stop breathing for short amounts, such as a little less than a minute at a time. However, in serious cases the person might stop breathing for a few minutes. In order to have sleep apnea properly diagnosed, the person is going to need to be aware that there is something wrong with their sleeping habits. People who sleep with another person are at an advantage, because since this condition is marked by chronic snoring, it is easy to tell when the sufferer is not breathing. However, if the sufferer sleeps alone, there are a couple of ways to tell that something is not right.The first indication is frequent forgetfulness. Of course, this could be indicative of other health conditions as well, but it is also indicative of this sleeping problem. More prevalently, the other indication is if the person is always feeling tired despite getting what they think was an entire night of sleep.Either of these persistent symptoms should be evaluated by a doctor immediately. The patient might be asked to participate in a sleep study. The two forms of treatment are medication, as well as a healthy plan for weight loss.

How Sleep Apnea Can Force A Person To Lose Weight

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

After a long week of work, there are a couple of things that people like to do in order to relax, and many of these things involve eating food that is high in fat. Sure, it is alright to indulge every so often in these kinds of foods if you are healthy to begin with, but it is very important that a person keep their weight in check to avoid obesity.There are many different kinds of health problems that can arise from obesity, and one of these things is sleep apnea. This is a sleeping disorder that is marked by the person stopping breathing for a minute (in some cases longer) at a time while they are asleep. Although sometimes the person might actually be awakened by their sleep apnea, often they continue sleeping. Thus, sleep apnea can prove fatal if it is not treated as soon as possible.Sometimes, the partner of the person might alert him or her to the possibility that they have a sleeping disorder, because the person will be snoring loudly, then all of a sudden stop. After a pause, the person might start up with the snoring again. However, people who sleep alone can also be alerted to the potential of having sleep apnea if they experience such symptoms as constantly feeling tired despite getting what they think is at least eight hours of sleep, as well as chronic forgetfulness. Sleep apnea is usually diagnosed via a sleep study. There are several different things that can contribute to this sleep disorder, but it is generally caused by obesity. When a person is overweight, their circulatory system is impaired, which can affect every organ in their body. The lack of appropriate circulation also affects the amount of oxygen that the brain gets. The brain is what sends the signals to the parasympathetic nervous system (which controls breathing). So, it only makes sense that the less efficient the oxygen intake of the brain, the more ineffectively the parasympathetic nervous system might work.Although this sleep disorder can be controlled by medication, it will also be very necessary for an obese person to lose weight. For some people, this is all the incentive that they needed and they get started right away on an exercise and diet program. For other people, they find it incredibly hard to stop eating the foods that they love in favor of healthier choices. And as for the exercise aspect? They do not even like to think about it.Well, it might be hard, but it is also necessary. So, the first thing that the person should do is enlist in a weight loss program. Some people feel embarrassed about doing such a thing, but they end up finding the encouragement that they receive very rewarding. Also, the person should hire a personal trainer to help them figure an exercise plan that they will be motivated to do. With hard work, the person will be able to start seeing results within a couple of months.

Sleep Apnea and Breathing

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

Obstructive sleep apnea is also called sleep apnea. Obstructive means there is something that is blocking your airway when you lie down to sleep. If you find it difficult to sleep, that you are gasping for breath, and you are always snoring, a sleep machine could give you results that you need to get the rest you need without interrupting your breathing patterns. The airway passages that are sealed or partially sealed as you sleep cause you to stop breathing. As you stop breathing you are adding stress on your heart, on your body and you will not feel rested in the morning.
A breathing machine can help you get the air you need, the oxygen that you need, and the rest you need to keep you going. The signs of sleep apnea include those of always being tired, that you are irritable because you are not sleeping good, and you have difficultly focusing your eyes, or your mind when concentrating during the day.
As you are unable to get the air you need, the oxygen you need to replenish your body you are putting your self at risk for additional medical conditions and problems. If you don’t treat your sleep apnea, or your obstructed airways you could have a heart attack, you could have a stroke, you could have high blood pressure and these conditions can also lead to diabetes. Associated with all of these symptoms are being overweight, and stressful work or family life.
Therapy can aid your situation. You can use a breathing machine or a dental item to open your airways. Using a breathing machine is going to give you additional higher oxygen levels. The dental item is going to open your jaw so you don’t have an obstruction. There are also over the counter medications, such as the breath right strips and similar items, that can open your passages so you can breath all night long, and get the rest you need. If over the counter medications and items don’t work, you could seek the help of your family doctor, take a sleep test, and consider a surgical procedure that will correct the obstruction and then open the airways while you are sleeping.
To get a good nights sleep please visit:www.disorders-sleep.info
Author Darren Mallory
C/O www.akashop.com

How Sleep Apnea Can Affect a Relationship

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

There are so many people that have to deal with stress of everyday life. There are so many problems that a person can face and it is sometimes very hard on the body. For some people, they are finding it harder and harder to get a good nights rest at night. When a person is dealing with sleep apnea, they are going to have a harder time with relationships and keeping them.
Many that deal with sleep apnea are depressed and will suffer from terrible mood swings. They are going to experience these problems at work and at home. For a lot of them, they are going to find it hard to keep friends or make new ones. This is due to the fact that they are going to have mood swings and get irritated more easily. This is because they are not getting the appropriate amount of sleep that their body requires.
Having sleep apnea is going to be hard on work relationships. Many times tempers will be shorter and people that are not getting the sleep that they need will become more irritable and will find themselves not getting along with their co-workers and business partners. This can make for a very stressful situation and one that will only get worse if the problem is not resolved.
Many times, not getting enough sleep will effect the way that a person will be able to deal with everyday problems that may happen with their family members and their children. Many parents and spouses will have a hard time dealing with problems that can occur on a normal day. They may find that they loose their temper easily and get worked up over the small things that happen.
Another problem with sleep apnea and relationships is that a person that is taking on the stress of dealing with it will have a harder time performing sexuality. There are many people that will not have an interest in having sex with their partner. This is going to take a toll on any relationship over time. This is a good reason why a person should start to think about getting help with their sleep apnea so that they can have a happy and healthy relationship with their spouse or partner.
Many people that have to deal with lack of sleep due to sleep apnea are going to find it harder to make a relationship work. This is a big problem for many people and will only add to the stress of it all. Getting help with it and finding ways to make the sleep apnea better is the only way that a person can get on with their lives and be happy and healthy in their relationships with anyone personal or business related.

Sleep Tests and Sleep Apnea

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

Obstructive sleep apnea is a condition that stops your breathing while you are sleeping. If you are suffering from sleep apnea, this means that you stop breathing when you are sleeping. One can notice that sleep apnea is taking place, as the chest will sink in when the person sleeping is not breathing. Loud snoring and other snore like noises are heard at this time as well. Sleep apnea is something, a condition that your doctor can help you cope with or find the correct surgery to take place so you can sleep well, and so your body will get the rest that it needs.
The test, polysomnography, is going to allow the doctor to learn about you while you are sleeping. It is going to require that you go to sleep, relax, and it will record how your body functions while you are sleeping. Snoring, gasps, and shortness of breath will all be recorded so the doctor can then determine what else may be going on with your body.
This is a simple test, one that is not going to hurt. You will have sensors placed on your body, and on your head that are going to monitor; the body while you sleep. The monitoring is going to involve your brain electrical activity, the eye and jay movements of the muscles, leg muscle movements that may be happening, and the airflow of your body. The respiratory efforts of your chest and the abdominal muscles will be monitored, and the oxygen in your body is going to be monitored at the same time.
The gathering of information will take place over a few hours, sometimes in a lab setting where you are sleeping, sometimes in the hospital setting where the diagnostic tests can easily take place. The information that is gathered during this diagnostic sleep apnea test is going to then be fed into a computer and analyzed. The technicians and the doctor will the compare your information to others
Electrodes are placed on the body, there are six of them, and them one is placed on the head to measure brain activity at the same time. As you are sleeping, the monitoring systems are going to make remarks about what occurs, what happens, and how long the intervals are between the snoring, or the portions of sleep where you actually stop breathing. This is going to help determine the severity of your sleep apnea, and the obstructiveness of your nasal passage or in your throat.
To get a good nights sleep please visit:www.disorders-sleep.info
Author Darren Mallory
C/O www.akashop.com

Sleep Apnea – The Deadly Disorder, Symptoms And Effects

Posted by Apnea
Categorized Under: Sleep Apnea
Dated: 13 Nov 2009
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the brain and the person wakes up, causing the contraction in muscles and the release of the throat.
This interruption in breathing may occur many times during the night. They may occur for about fifty times per hour and may last for about ten to twenty seconds. Oftentimes, the person who is affected by this disorder does not know what the problem is. They never can comprehend the reason for which they become tired even after a night’s sleep in the day time.
This disorder in sleep, in its most common form, is called obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Some people, who suffer from this disorder, also suffer from the central sleep apnea, called as the mixed sleep apnea.
It’s assumed that about 20% of the United States of America’s adults are affected by these disorders. If they are left untreated, they can lead to life threatening situations and may also prove to be fatal in many cases. These disorders are the reason for strokes, heart diseases, systemic hypertension and pulmonary hypertension.
There are many ways in which sleep apnea is treated which may be non invasive or surgical. The primary treatment that is given to a person who is suffering from sleep apnea is termed as positive airway pressure. It is non invasive in nature. A constant air flow is sent through a mask which is worn by the person who is taking the therapy while sleeping. The speed of air flowing through it constantly monitored by a technician. There are three kinds of this therapy, namely BiPAP, CPAP and AutoPAP.
Devices that are used for dental purposes are also used in treatment of this disorder. There are two types of dental devices, namely, the lower jaw or mandibular devices and the tongue retaining or advancing devices. The mandibular devices are the ones that are used more frequently. It is attached to the upper portion of the jaw. It then pulls the lower portion of the jaw and the tongue’s base forward. When this is done, the airway is left open for air to pass through.
People who have sleep apnea cannot opt for medical treatment as they will not be effective. Though, many people do take in modafinal and antidepressants.
Along with a positive air pressure machine, supplemental oxygen is used. Oxygen, alone, cannot prevent the airway from collapsing or the fragmentation of sleep. But, it will avoid the reduction in the blood oxygen level that usually occurs between the time of collapsing and opening of the airway.
Surgical treatments for OSA are also available for people who are affected very badly by this disorder. The surgery includes tracheostomy, palatal implants, corrective jaw surgery, somnoplasty and uvulopalatophrayngoplasty.
People can find that if the proper treatment is given to them, their life’s quality can be improved.