Facts About Sleep Apnea Simple Cures You Can Try Today

Sleep apnea is a sleeping disorder which is characterized by abnormal pauses in the breathing pattern, or instances of abnormally low breathing during sleep. Each pause between successive breaths is called an "apnea" - a word derived from the Greek word "apnoia" which means "without breath". In case of normal breathing, the frequency of pauses is constant and regular. When the normal breathing pattern changes due to various reasons, and the intervals between successive pauses start becoming irregular, it leads to sleep apnea disorder. Each irregular pause of breath is referred to as "hypopnea." So, in case of normal breathing, each interval or pause is termed as an "apnea", while in case of abnormal breathing it is termed as "hypopnea."

Symptoms of sleep apnea Individuals suffering from the disorder often do not know they have it. Certain symptoms can ascertain whether the individual is suffering from the disorder. The major symptoms include:

Insomnia Restless sleeping patterns Choking or gasping during sleep Night sweats Feeling excessively sleepy during the day Snoring frequently and loudly Trouble in breathing during sleep

A less obvious symptom of sleep apnea is an increase in blood pressure which can result in a number of cardiovascular problems. This will be picked up if you are among the growing number of people who now monitor their own blood pressure regularly at home but otherwise will not be detected until you have a routine physical exam at your doctor's office.

Yet another symptom is that of increasing learning difficulties and problems with memory retention. Again this is not something that is easy to spot yourself but others may notice that you are not as quick on the uptake as you used to be. Finally, some sleep apnea sufferers will notice a decline in sexual function and this can ultimately result in impotency. As with many conditions individual symptoms by themselves could be a sign of just about anything. However, when you start to see these symptoms coming together then you should consider consulting your doctor and think about being tested for sleep apnea.

Three types of Sleep Apnea: 1. Central Sleep Apnea (CSA) 2. Mixed Sleep Apnea 3. Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) Obstructive Sleep Apnea, is the common sleep apnea that most individuals suffer from. It usually occurs when your airway collapse and your throat muscles or fat tissue in the throat, uvula(the hanging tissue at the back of your throat), tonsils and tongue block your airway. You wake up from sleep due to your brain gets the signals that your breathing is blocked. The risk of getting stroke, heart attack and other cardiovascular problem will be escalated as a result of the continual deprivation of oxygen during episode. It can cause narcolepsy (sudden lapse of consciousness) and excessive daytime sleepiness. The blockage or obstructions that affects OSA could be caused by large tonsils (particularly in children) and adenoids, overweightness, weak muscles or irregular physical structure (larger tongue or uvula or narrow airways, etc).

The other reasons that contribute to obstructive sleep apnea could be constricted sleeping position, asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), allergies and excessive stress.

Central Sleep Apnea (CSA) is a not so common form. It usually occurs when the breathing muscles stop for momentarily while communication with the brain is disturbed. Other than the similar symptoms as obstructive sleep apnea, there are also symptoms such as numbness of body parts, changes in your voice, body weakness and difficulty in swallowing. CSA have symptoms that similar to obstructive sleep apnea such as lack of attentiveness, heart diseases, high blood pressure, irritability and excessive daytime sleepiness. You will also suffer from an after-effect called "Ondine's curse" which causes you continue having the difficulty to breath easily when you are asleep. Sufferer of CSA that lives at above the sea level or having heart attacks or brain injuries might even suffer apnoeic episode while they are wide-awake. Causes of Central Sleep apnea may be due to neurological disorders, strokes, neurodegenerative diseases, surgical complications or even radiotherapy. There are many causes behind occurrence of sleep apnea. Such as: 1. Abnormal facial structure 2. The throat muscles and tongue relax a lot more than normal when you are asleep. 3. Uvula, fleshy tissue at the back of your throat also relaxes during your sleep. 4. Large tonsils and adenoids obstruct free flow of air through the nose and throat. 5. Weight gain 6. Age 7. Alcohol and drugs relax muscles of your breathing system 8. Smoking 9. Your genes 10. Nasal congestion due to allergies 11. Different diseases of thyroid glands like hypothyroidism, or neuromuscular diseases like acromegaly, or Down's syndrome, Marfan's syndrome, post-polio syndrome

Mixed Sleep Apnea consists of both CSA and OSA. It occurs when both obstruction of the airways and improper functioning of brain.

Simple Cures for Sleep Apnea: Try Today Depending on what is causing the sleeping apnea (SA) and how severe it is, some of the cures can be very simple and can be done quickly. Starting with the simplest cure for SA, one that can be used immediately with no cost, would be to stop smoking. Yes, it seems trivial, but in some cases it works. And the reason is that the upper airways will have more ability to allow air to pass. Smoking causes swelling in the upper airways which causes apnea. That is why many people find that they no longer have a problem with apnea when they quit smoking. Another simple cure for sleeping apnea is to eliminate sleeping pills and alcohol from before bedtime activities or habits will greatly assist with reducing apnea. Many people suffer from blocked airways when they are in a drug induced sleep. If you eliminate sleeping pills and alcohol before bedtime that will greatly help you to reduce apnea. Many people suffer from blocked airways when they are in a drug induced sleep. Changing the type of pillow that one uses is often the first, and easiest, cure for SA. Often, when a person sleeps on a soft pillow and is on their back when they sleep, their throat will constrict and cut off air. By using a foam contour pillow made for apnea one will find that this issue is resolved.

Getting 7 1/2 hours of sleep every night is also a cure for sleeping apnea that is often the easiest to try. By going to sleep at the same time and getting the proper rest, a person often can avoid the conditions that constrict the trachea. The above information are the facts of sleep apnea, you can try the simple cures today. You can watch videos on simple exercises that cure sleep apnea and lots of other information on how to get a good nights sleep. Visit: http://www.jskagon.com/ now A blog on sleep disorders and cures.