Adult Sleep Apnea

Sleep that knits up the ravelled sleave of care,
Sore labour's bath,
Balm of hurt minds,
Great nature's second course,
Chief nourisher in life's feast. - William Shakespeare.

6.		Restless Nights: Understanding Snoring and Sleep Apnea from Yale University Press Price: $24.00 Customer Review: I have been diagnosed with apnea and use a CPAP. I bought four books to gain a deeper insight into my condition. While informative this book does not cover the subject nearly as well as Sleep Apnea - Phantom of the Night. I would not recommend purchase of this book. In fact this was the least... more info	Customer Rating: 4.0 / 5.0 Click here for more information Buy from: United Kingdom

Do you really know why we sleep?

'Sleep' is nature's gift to the human body where the body gets a chance to recharge and repair muscles and in building our immune system. During sleep, the brain organizes and stores memories. The whole body goes in to "energy saver" mode. In very simple terms, a good night's sleep rejuvenates the body and the brain for the next day.

People who are unable to get a good sleep might eventually develop numerous sleep-related problems. These problems can manifest themselves in a large number of bodily disorders. Sleep Apnea is one such problem.

Apnea takes its origin from the Greek word, which means "Without Breath". Sleep apnea is a disorder where there is an interruption to breathing during sleep.  It is progressive as it increases with age.  In this condition, the patient misses a breath for about 10 to 20 seconds every time for around 40-100 times in a night's sleep.  In severe cases, it even touches 400 times in a night. Sometimes it can be quite dangerous. Sleep apnea is a progressive sleep disorder (it gets worse as you age).

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Types of sleep apnea.

There are three types of sleep apnea; namely Obstructive, Central, and Mixed.

Obstructive Sleep Apnea is highly prevalent amongst adults, compared to other sleep disorders. As the name implies it is caused by an obstruction in the free flow of air between nose and lungs. During sleep, there is not enough air from nose to lungs as the windpipe is blocked or collapsed briefly during breathing, due to the relaxation of muscles.

Obstructive Apnea can be caused by a problem with the tonsils, being overweight, having a narrow airway, suffering from a respiratory infection, having an improper facial structure, worn out airway muscles, an obstruction in the nasal passages, a reduction in blood oxygen saturation, and, sometimes, the structure of the jaw.  It can occur in people who take drugs too.  So little time is spent in deep sleep that the brain briefly rises to activity when you resume breathing, resulting in sleep deprivation. This causes tiredness, weakness and in advanced cases stroke, asthma and depression.

The second type is Central Sleep Apnea and is relatively rare.  As the name suggests, it is due to disorder in the central nervous system. It happens when the brain malfunctions and fails to send a "go-ahead" signal for breathing. Sometimes the signal sent is interrupted.  For a healthy person, at times of rest, breathing is normal. When oxygen levels suddenly go low and / or carbon dioxide levels climbs up, the brain immediately send signals to inhale more. In the case of Central sleep apnea, this fandamental control of the breathing rate malfunctions. The signal for inhalation does not get sent, and the individual misses one or more breathing cycles.  This results in severe decrease in oxygen levels in the body leading to hypoxia.

Central sleep apnea can lead to insomnia. Sufferers who are able to sleep may experience a choking or gasping sensation upon awakening.  In severe cases, the right side of the heart can fail and this may even lead to death. It is also common in people suffering from one or more heart problems in conjunction with lung disorders.

The last type is Mixed Sleep Apnea, where untreated obstructive sleep apnea over a long period of time develops into central sleep apnea.

If sleep apnea is untreated, it could lead to snoring, high blood pressure, cardiovascular diseases, memory problems, weight gain, impotency, headaches, abnormal daytime sleepiness (including falling asleep at inappropriate times), limited attention span, lethargy and in severe cases swelling of the legs.

It's important to raise awareness of this issue among the public, without which this problem could go undiagnosed and untreated, despite the fact that this serious sleep disorder can have significant consequences. It is important to learn how to recognise a sleep apnea symptom.

Adult sleep apnea resources

9.		Obstructive Sleep Apnea (Fast Facts) from Health Press (UK) Price: $20.00	Click here for more information Buy from: United Kingdom