To Breathe or Not to Breathe: Sleep Apnea

Sleep apnea is a major sleep disorder wherein a person abruptly wakes up in the middle of sleep due to a blockage in the airway. At some point in their lives, a lot of people might have experienced this condition. But a sleep disorder should not be regarded as something trivial at all. Sleep is one of the most indispensable mechanisms of the human body. Through sleep, our bodily functions are restored and our energy is replenished. With a poor quality of sleep, a person will undoubtedly have enervated physical and mental functioning and this could adversely affect his normal activities such as studying or making a living as well as dealing with relationships.

By the term “apnea”, it means the condition of not respiring. This state is actually transient as the breathing may return to normal in a few seconds. Apnea can be categorized as voluntary or involuntary. Involuntary attacks are usually more threatening as these sort of attacks affect the oxygen levels in the body. Apnea during sleep is called sleep apnea. Episodes of apnea during sleep are abrupt and transient as levels of oxygen in the body have decreased. Although the breathing resumes to normal after a few seconds, sleep apnea can lead to other serious conditions as it affects the quality of sleep.

Sleep apnea is more than just shortness of breath during sleep. In fact, when beset by this disorder, a person may actually stop breathing, or may gasp or choke during sleep. Frequent urination at night, insomnia and waking up with a dry throat are also symptoms of this sleep disorder. In the daytime, a person may have headaches upon waking up and may feel irritable. Sleep apnea is actually ominous as during daytime a person may have mood swings, concentration problems and even personality changes. If left untreated, sleep apnea episodes can increase in frequency as it is a progressive disorder.

It is possible for a person to have a hundred recurrent episodes once this disorder becomes chronic. Having a room or bed mate is actually advantageous for sleep apnea to be detected and recognized. Check with a room or bed mate for loud snoring as this is associated with sleep apnea. The measures to be taken for treatment of sleep apnea are dependent on the cause of this disorder. There are two categories of causes of this disorder: obstructive and central. By obstructive causes, it means a blockage in the normal air passage in the body. When there is a malfunctioning of the central nervous system which consequently hampers the breathing process, then the cause is said to be central.

Another cause is mixed sleep apnea which is a combination of both obstructive and central irregularities. Fatal physiological complications such as irregular heartbeats can occur once this disorder becomes chronic. Medications, exte
al devices and surgery are some of the treatment measures for sleep apnea. Positive Airway Pressure, Automatic Positive Airway Pressure, Variable Positive Airway Pressure and Mandibular Advancement Splint are some of the mechanical applications for sleep apnea treatment. Surgical procedures such as uvolopalatopharyngoplasty, adenoidectomy and tonsillectomy can also be opted to, as well as neurostimulator medications to deal with sleep apnea. Prevention and early detection of this disease is essential to curtail its progression and to avoid further aggravation and complications.

Aside from conventional treatments, behavioral modifications as well as healthy sleeping habits are also essential to relieve sleep apnea. A person may not do much with oxygen deprivation, but he can take measures to overcome sleep deprivation which is one of the basic causes of sleep apnea.