Obstructive sleep apnea (or OSA) is a type of sleep disorder that causes you to repeatedly stop and restart breathing as you sleep.

Under normal conditions, the muscles found at the back of your throat continually hold your airway open so air can get to your lungs. These muscles relax somewhat as you sleep. But if your airway is especially narrow, these muscles can actually block your airway when they relax. This blockage can cause you to stop breathing for periods of up to 20 seconds at a time. This can occur as often as every couple minutes all night long.

Obstructive sleep apnea can cause restless sleep, so that your sleep never serves its intended purpose…leaving you feeling drowsy during the day.

OSA causes your blood oxygen level to decrease, because of the long periods of not breathing. This puts extra strain on your heart and raises your blood pressure.

Some of the tell-tale symptoms of Obstructive Sleep Apnea:

• mood changes, depression, irritability
• sudden waking from sleep, short of breath
• waking with a dry mouth or sore throat
• morning headaches
• chronic loud snoring (the inability to stop snoring is often the first thing noticed by others who sleep near you)
• memory problems

OSA is more common in men than women, and risk increases with age. Other risk factors can include:

• extra fat around the airway
• high blood pressure
• neck size
• use of sedatives or alcohol
• cigarette smoking
• a naturally-occuring narrowed airway (due to heredity or enlarged tonsils)

How likely are you to doze off or fall asleep in the situations described below under normal circumstances (i.e., excluding times of over-exertion and sleep deprivation)?

Use the following scale to choose the most appropriate number for each situation:

0 = Would never doze
1 = Slight chance of dozing
2 = Moderate chance of dozing
3 = High probability of dozing

Situation (rate each on a scale of 0-3)

• sitting and reading
• watching TV
• sitting, inactive, in a public place (i.e., theatre or meeting)
• as a car passenger without a break for an hour
• lying down to rest in the afternoon as circumstances permit
• sitting and talking to someone
• sitting quietly after lunch (without alchohol)
• in a car, driving, but while stopped for a few minutes in traffic

If your points total 10 or more, you are considered borderline sleep-deprived. If 12 or higher, you should seek medical attention immediately.

Sleep reduces stress, and when you go for long periods without healthy sleep your body will respond by entering a state of stress. Here the body’s functions will be put on ‘alert’ much as they are during the fight-or-flight response and you’ll find a further rise in blood pressure and in your heart rate. This again puts your body at greater risk of heart attack or stroke, but additionally will make it even more difficult to get to sleep due to the presence of adrenaline in your system (part of the stress response). This can lead to a vicious cycle, making difficult breathing only one of the problems preventing you from dozing back off. The stress hormone also raises inflammation in the body which again puts you at risk of heart conditions as well as cancer and even diabetes. Inflammation has also been suggested to play a role in the aging process, which combined with your lack of growth hormone will really add up to rapid aging.

We’re all also aware that sleep helps with alertness and concentration. If you find yourself lacking sleep you will probably find it hard to focus on a task or perform to the best of your ability. While this can be damaging for your career, academic life etc etc, it can also be dangerous – leading you to make silly mistakes that you wouldn’t normally. This is true particularly if you are in charge of machinery or a vehicle…which is why it’s recommended to take breaks and drink tea when driving. What might seem like a frustrating lack of sleep may, in fact, prove to be fatal on the road.

Sleep also improves our memory through a process called ‘memory consolidation’. During this time the brain strengthens the neural connections made during the day making them more easily accessible in future. This is why when you’re studying for an exam or presentation it’s important to get a good night’s sleep the night before – which will be tricky if you suffer from sleep apnea. Sleeping may even make you smarter through this process and in the long run may raise your IQ.

We all also know that sleep improves your mood. Ever heard of “getting out of the wrong side of bed”? Well that’s every morning if you suffer from conditions that prevent you from sleeping. This can lead to a short temper which can create stress in relationships, but even worse can lead to depression by impacting the balance of hormones in the brain such as the feel-good hormone serotonin. Lack of sleep can also lead to you gain weight due to chemical imbalances – in particular through the disruption of the hormones ghrelin and leptin which are crucial for the regulation of appetite.

In short then, difficulty sleeping will result in a wide variety of health issues including potential heart problems, mood disorders, slow healing, rapid aging, weight gain, cancer and diabetes. While not all of these will affect everyone it shouldn’t be a risk you take lightly – if you’re suffering from sleep apnea and getting less than eight hours sleep a night then seek professional intervention.

Sleep apnea is a damaging condition that can disturb the sleep of both you and a partner (if you are prone to wriggling around the bed when you awake). While this might seem unpleasant and irritating when you’re both grouchy the next day, it’s actually more serious than this and can have a long list of negative effects on your health. If you’re considering doing something about your sleep apnea then, read the following list of crucial roles played by sleep and decide whether you want to subject yourself and possibly a partner to so many health risks.

First, sleep is crucial for your heart. Sleep interacts with blood vessels and helps to lower the blood pressure as well as cholesterol which in turn lowers the chances of heart disease or stroke. Seven to nine hours of sleep each night has been shown to drastically lower the chances of either. Sleep might also be able to help prevent cancer, particularly of the colon or breast. This is due to the affects of melatonin (the sleep hormone) which can suppress the growth of tumors. To increase the production of melatonin make sure your room is dark during sleep.

It is also during sleep that our bodies do much of the work to repair the stresses of the day. During sleep our body is in an ‘anabolic state’ meaning that it produces more anabolic hormones such as testosterone and growth hormone. In children this is why sleep is crucial for growth, while for everyone it’s crucial for the repairing of the wounds and injuries, combating of diseases and the growth of muscle and other tissue. Growth hormone has also been shown to counter some of the effects of aging by healing the damage done to our cells. For this reason extended lack of sleep can lead to slow recovery from illness or injury and visibly faster aging. Sleep will, in short, minimize your chances of catching all illnesses then and even help turn back the clock.

Furthermore, sleep predictably has a large range of psychological benefits. While the purpose of dreaming is not fully understood by psychologists (everything from the random firing of pons to the expression of our unconscious desires has been suggested), it seems clear that it is, in fact, a necessary function. Psychological studies taking away patients’ ‘REM sleep’ (REM standing for Rapid Eye Movement and indicating the point at which we start dreaming) have shown that dreams will eventually begin to find their way into our waking hours as vivid hallucinations. Consistent lack of dreaming has been shown to eventually lead to psychosis and it seems that REM is the single most crucial part of sleeping for healthy brain function. REM sleep is however the final stage during our sleep cycle (which repeats itself about four times throughout the night), meaning that if you are constantly awoken through difficulty breathing then you will be likely to experience less REM sleep than you require (though due to it’s importance your body will eventually launch your straight into REM).

We hear about it in the news. With the increasing obesity level in the US (although that’s certainly not the only cause), per capita rates of apnea suffers are on the rise.

So, what IS Sleep Apnea?

Sleep apnea is a disorder which causes respiration to stop when a person is sleeping. A person suffering from sleep apnea will stop breathing from 10 seconds up to a few minutes. These pauses in breathing can take place up to 30 times in one hour. After one of these cessations of respiration, the patient will start breathing normally again, often with a snoring sound. Sleep apnea is a common disorder. According to studies more than 13 million Americans suffer from this condition. The patients are mostly men or people who are overweight.

Sleep apnea can manifest itself in two forms: Obstructive apnea and central apnea. Where central apnea is rare, obstructive apnea is the most common type. With this type of apnea something blocks the windpipe, causing the stop or blockage of air coming into the throat.

Though sleep apnea is a serious condition, it should be noted that it does not form a threat in the sense that it will not cause choking. Because of the lack of oxygen, the brain sends off a signal to the body. The patient will sleep lighter or even wake up. The throat relaxes, which allows the patient to breath normally again until the following apnea occurs.

Due to all the apneas, the quality of sleep for people suffering from this condition is very poor. Sleep apnea causes sleepiness during the daytime and also fatigue. This results in the patient falling asleep during day to day activities such as reading the newspaper or even driving. Other problems which result from sleep apnea are a lowered concentration and high blood pressure. The patient’s body and mind do not recover properly during the night-time which has the effect of shortening the patient’s life span.

Also, sleep apnea does not only influence the patient’s rest, but also the rest and sleep of the partner. Constant snoring and waking up can cause the significant other to also suffer from bad sleeping patterns.

Sleep apnea occurs during sleep, which means your Significant Other will notice the symptoms first. The most common symptoms are snoring or sleepiness during the daytime and even falling asleep during normal activities such as eating or driving. Other symptoms are:

• Lowered concentration and learning difficulties
• Excessive fatigue
• Having headaches for a longer period of time. Most patients who suffer from sleep apnea claim having headaches.
• Heartburn
• For larger people, swollen legs are a common symptom
• Need to urinate during sleep
• Excessive sweating during sleep
• Cramped feeling in the chest area
• Excessive snoring. However, this does not always have to be a symptom of sleep apnea.
• Choking sounds during sleep
• Gasping for air
• Restlessness
• Increased blood pressure
• Lowered sexual functions
• Depression or agressiveness

Older men and women have periods of cessation of respiration. This is normal, but makes it difficult to diagnose if they have sleep apnea.

Nevertheless, all the symptoms of sleep apnea are harmful to the patient’s health and rest. When experiencing any or a number of these symptoms or consider any of the range of sleep apnea treatments, consider seeing a doctor.

The most common type of sleep apnea (obstructive sleep apnea) is caused by a blockage or even by a narrowed airway in the throat or oral area. During sleep, the muscles of the throat or tongue relax to such a degree that they cause a blockage in the airway.

For a certain period of time breathing stops and the amount of oxygen in the blood is reduced.

Moreover, people who have enlarged tissues, such as enlarged tonsils, in their oral area are also prone to sleep apnea. During sleep, the tonsils push the airway, which causes the airway to narrow.

However, there are also other causes and risk factors for sleep apnea:

• Being overweight. People who suffer from obesity have an increased chance of suffering from sleep apnea. Fatty cells are known to narrow the airway. If your sleep apnea is caused by obesity, consider the fact that there is an interplay between these two conditions, as a person who is tired tends to be less active. This in itself causes obesity.
• Alcohol or any other substance abuse. Alcohol and other drugs influence the brain, which stimulates respiration. This may cause relaxed breathing muscles and a blockage of the airways.
• Mouth breathing. Breathing through one’s mouth may lead to certain structural abnormalities in the facial area. This may contribute to sleep apnea.
• Medication. Certain medication which is used for emotional purposes is known to relax breathing muscles. Check with your doctor if you are taking any medication for allergies, depression or anxiety and have sleep apnea.
• Asthma. Asthma is a potential cause of sleep apnea. Asthma cramps the airway, which may result in a blockage of the throat.
• Acid reflux. Severe cases of acid reflux can cause heavy scar tissue in the throat. This repetitive scaring can cause obstructions in the airways.
• Among these causes are also smoking, stress and bad body posture. Often sleep apnea will dissapear if the patient makes a few lifestyle changes such as quitting smoking and alcohol and losing weight.

Be sure to read the other articles on this site to learn more about the various sleep apnea treatments available.

Often enough it is difficult to recognize a disorder like sleep apnea.  For patients who are under the impression that they suffer from this disorder, it is considered wise to keep a sleeping diary. You can do this by either taping the sounds you make while sleeping or involving your significant other to monitor and write down sleeping habits. When visiting a doctor bring the sleeping diary with you, this will help the doctor determine your condition. To determine the patient’s condition the doctor may also perform several tests such as an endosopy of the nose and throat, a CT scan or a thorough examination of the nose and mouth.

If the doctor is under the impression that the patient might suffer from a sleeping disorder, he or she will recommend an overnight sleep study in a sleep lab under the observation of a trained health care provider. Here the patient will undergo a polysomnography. A polysomnograph shows a patient’s brain activity, heart rate, eye movement and respiratory activity during sleep. This test will help to determine if the patient does or does not suffer from sleep apnea… and give hints as to the most effective of the sleep apnea treaments for that particular case.

The sleep apnea test is carried out in a sleep lab during the night, so that the most reliable results can be achieved. Electrodes on the chest, scalp and eyelids will send off messages to the health care provider. These electrodes will measure the time it takes for the patient to fall asleep and the time it takes to fall in REM ( Rapid Eye Movement ) sleep. Also, a video camera will monitor the patient’s movements. All these components will determine if and how often the patient stops breathing during the night.

It is important to avoid any alcohol or caffeine before the test as this may cloud the test results. After the polysomnography the right diagnosis will be determined and the patient will be informed on possible treatments.

There are certain tests which patients can do at home. However, these test results may be unreliable. It is highly advised to visit a doctor to be sure of the right diagnosis.

In an attempt to diminsh apnea during sleep. medical companies have introduced several sleep apnea dental appliances. Dental appliances have a huge success rate and are thought to be one of the more effective treatments for sleep apnea. In fact, the dental appliances lower the chances of strokes and heart diseases. Mostly, dental devices are prescribed to patients who suffer from a mild case of sleep apnea. However, patients with severe sleep apnea benefit from this treatment as well. Before resorting to dental appliances it is advised to have several examinations by a physician as well as a professional dentist.

Once the patient has chosen a sleep apnea dental appliance as means of a treatment, the dentist will design and fabricate a mold of the teeth and jaws. The mouthpiece prevents the blocking of the airways by pulling the tongue and jaws forward. The airways remain unblocked and fewer apneas occur during sleep.

Dental appliances vary in cost and quality. Depending on the quality of the materials the prices can rise up to $1,500. Whichever price range the patient chooses it is important to keep in mind the comfort of the dental appliance. Custom-made dental appliances may cost more, but in many cases they will guarantee a good night’s sleep.

Also, cheaper appliances which are not custom-made are mostly ‘one size fits all’. This means they most likely will not fit. Custom-made appliances will fit and also allow some motion of the jaws, which will prevent discomfort. Remember, you get what you pay for. Depending on the quality of your mouthpiece and the maintenance it may not need replacement for 6 years. Cheaper and over-the-counter dental appliances have a maximum life span of 6 months.

Whichever mouthpiece you chose, be advised to visit a doctor and dentist before purchasing any appliances. Every sleeping disorder is different, and with the wide range of sleep apnea treatments available… be sure to have a physician and dentist investigate if a sleep apnea dental appliance is the right treatment for you.

For some cases and patients the conventional treatments for sleep apnea are either too expensive, simply out of the question (surgery, for example) or they do not have any effect. These patients may want to resort to alternative treatments. Making a few behavioral changes and involving alternative medicine can lighten or stop sleep apnea.

Obesity and sleep apnea go hand in hand. Losing weight and exercising can be effective in the battle against sleep apnea. Also losing weight and getting in shape will give you more energy during the daytime. Often apnea is caused by a blockage of the airways. When losing weight, and fatty cells in the throat, the airways do not get blocked as much or the airways are opened completely.

Another lifestyle change which may benefit your sleep is avoiding sleeping on your back. This will stop the tongue from falling back and blocking the airways. Also, drugs and alcohol can have a damaging effect on the respiratory drive during sleep. They may soften the throat muscles. This may end in a collapsing of the throat. Cutting down on alcohol and drugs (sleeping pills, for example) will elevate the oxygen levels in the blood and stop or lower the degree of apnea during sleep.

However, homeopathy is also an option.Visit a homeopath to discover which treatments are usefull for your situation. Often the practitioners will prescribe different medication for different types of people. For example, energetic and extroverted people will get Lachesis prescribed, while people who have a history of mental problems will get homeopathic opium for the same condition. Vervain is also a treatment which is used for sleep apnea.

A fairly new alternative treatment for sleep apnea is 5-HTP. 5-HTP has a beneficial influence on the serotonin and cortisol levels in the human body. These two are thought to be the reason behind sleep apnea.  Taking 5-HTP before going to bed will decrease the number of apneas and the fatigue and sleepiness during the daytime.