Are you having trouble breathing during your sleep? Do you have sleep apnia? Chances are you probably don’t know if you have it or not because only very few of the millions of people who suffer from it know they have this dangerous sleeping disorder. They have no idea what the […]

Are you having trouble breathing during your sleep? Do you have sleep apnia? Chances are you probably don’t know if you have it or not because only very few of the millions of people who suffer from it know they have this dangerous sleeping disorder. They have no idea what the symptoms are, what it is all about or how to treat it. Most likely, people probably don’t see apnia as a threat, but they are dead wrong since all forms of sleep apnea cause serious conditions.

Taken from the Greek word “apneas” meaning “without breath”, sleep apnia is the sleeping disorder where the sleeper abnormally pauses in between breaths. The space between breaths in a normal breathing pattern would last somewhere between 3 to 5 seconds. However, with apnia, there is a minimum of 10 second pause that can last up to 1 minute or so between breaths. To make it more concerning, this can occur a few hundred times in one sleeping period.

There are three general types of sleep apnia. The most common would be obstructive where the airway is being blocked during sleep by the soft tissue in the back of the throat. That tissue collapses and closes, making it difficult to take a breath. The second apnia type would be central. Here, failure to send signals by the brain to the muscles to breath creates the problem in breathing during sleep. Mixed apnia is the last type which combines the characteristics of the other two.

Although anyone of any age can be diagnosed with sleep apnia, the most common sleep apnea cause would be the X chromosome or being of male gender. Further, a sleep apnea cause is obesity in men. Although being a 40 year old, overweight male is the biggest sleep apnea cause, no one is completely safe from having this disorder.

Leaving sleep apnia untreated can become a very risky matter for your health. Common effects of this disorder if left alone include headache, high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease. Memory problems and weight gain are also other symptoms. Impotency may even occur. But all these can be prevented by seeking advice and treatment from medical professionals.

There are several options available for treatment of sleep apnia. Although using a positive airway pressure device is made specifically for this disorder, you can opt for a more simple solution to this sleep problem and that will prevent any particular sleep apnea cause. Positional therapy is available to correct your sleeping position and avoid airway blockage. You can also try to lose weight or avoid any central nervous system depressants like painkillers, sedatives or alcohol. Whatever you choose, it’s worth it to save you from this possibly deadly sleep disorder.

For the best way to help yourself or your partner get over sleep apnia, you should read more about it and consult a doctor. By participating in studies and spreading the knowledge of this disorder that millions of people don’t know they are suffering from, you can help make people aware of it so they can get diagnosed before it is too late.