What Is Sleep Apnea And What Causes It?

With over 100 types of sleeping disorders, it is very likely that you have experienced a sleeping disorder at least once in your life. According to the National Sleep Foundation, "about 40 million American experience a chronic sleeping disorder.

What is sleep apnea?

It is important to understand that irregular breathing patterns affect the quality of sleep and, subsequently, the proper functioning of a healthy system. When shallow breathing or cessation of breath occur, the sleeper is taken out of deep sleep and into the light sleep, effectively missing out on the regenerative benefits that deep slumber provides. In effect, the body is now subject to the detrimental effects that come with sleep deprivation.

Obstructed Sleep Apnea (OSA), is the most common form involving 80 percent of all sleep apnea cases. OSA is caused by a blockage of the airway passage. Often times, snoring will result as air squeezes past the blockage.

It is a common disorder involving pauses in breathing, shallow breath, or a complete cessation of breathing, for long periods of time while sleeping. Pauses in inhalation may last a minimum of 10 seconds to minutes at a time, disrupting one's natural sleeping pattern repeatedly throughout the night.

When the brain fails to communicate effectively with the respiratory muscles, Central Sleep Apnea is a less common form of sleep apnea and occurs. In CSA, the brain fails to signal the body to breathe.

What are the causes of sleep apnea?

What can stimulate such a cascade of negative health effect? Let's examine the factors that contribute to irregular breathing patterns. Sleep apnea causes include the following:

Long-term effects and general health issues.

C. ALCOHOL AND SEDATIVE MEDICATIONS

For those who drink heavily or use sedative medication to aid in sleep, you may find yourself suffering from daytime grogginess due to obstructed sleep patterns. Alcohol and sedative medications impair breathing by relaxing the muscles that support the airway, making it more likely to collapse.

Have you ever looked at the back of your throat and observed your tonsils? These lymphoid tissues are made of fat, and depending on their size relative to the airway passage, may also contribute towards constricting airflow during sleep. The Uvula, which hangs down from the top of the back of your mouth, can be a cause of airflow obstruction.

It is clear to see that sleep apnea and the loss of proper breathing can contribute to the detriment of your health. Untreated sleep apnea often leads to a decrease in blood oxygen levels, causing high blood pressure and other cardiovascular diseases.

B. LARGE TONSILS AND UVULA

Memory problems, weight gain, and headaches can also result from the effects of poor health and improper sleeping habits. Decreased quality of personal performance and daytime activities may all hint at disruptive sleeping patterns. Lethargy and sleeping at the wheel are all tell-tale signs you may not be getting the rest you need.

Luckily, maintaining good health and diet, with proper exercise will ensure that your body is functioning at its best, especially as it rests. There is no better reason to ensure you are acquiring unobstructed sleep than to realize that it provides longevity. The benefits that unobstructed sleep offers the mind and body are vital to sustainability and living a healthy and long life.

A. OBESITY

The most common cause of obstructive sleep apnea is excess weight and obesity which is associated with the soft tissue of the mouth and throat. It's also been shown that instability of the throat, due to lack of physical fitness, causes airway passages to collapse on themselves when lying supine.

With over 100 types of sleeping disorders, it is very likely that you have experienced a sleeping disorder at least once in your life. According to the National Sleep Foundation, "about 40 million American experience a chronic sleeping disorder. Obstructed Sleep Apnea (OSA), is the most common form involving 80 percent of all sleep apnea cases. When shallow breathing or cessation of breath occur, the sleeper is taken out of deep sleep and into a light sleep, effectively missing out on the regenerative benefits that deep slumber provides. The most common cause of obstructive sleep apnea is excess weight and obesity which is associated with the soft tissue of the mouth and throat.

Interesting Facts I Bet You Never Knew About Sleep Apnea

Sleep apnea is the condition for where there are pauses in breathing during sleep. According to medical reports the population at risk are obese middle-aged males since physiology doesn't make women potential sufferers of sleep apnea. Individuals born with Down's Syndrome are likely to develop obstructive sleep apnea since 50% of the population that has this genetic condition are likely to be diagnosed because of having an enlarged head, adenoids, tonsils, tongue, and narrowing of the nasopharnyx. Pharyngeal flap surgery has also been noted to cause sleep apnea in patients because of the obstruction in the breathing pattern after surgery which if not monitored can be life threatening.

Because of the excessive weight on them, Sleep apnea has also been linked to congenital and congestive heart failure usually found in people who are diagnosed as morbidly obese. This is from prolonged and severe cases meaning the individual(s) were not being treated and had let the condition get to the point that it's no longer treatable.

According to medical reports the population at risk are obese middle-aged males since physiology doesn't make women potential sufferers of sleep apnea. The problem is that people who do fall asleep due to sleep apnea will go through brief periods where people think they're not going to wake up. Obstructive sleep apnea can be dangerous to the heart because it's prolonging and deprivation of oxygen to keep the circulation flowing efficiently.

Other lifestyle changes is losing weight and quitting smoking, and incorporate things like elevating themselves while sleeping so that they can breathe using slanted pillows. The weight issue is the biggest lifestyle concern because that causes some people to be confined to beds where they can't move and be active contributing further into a person's weight gain.

Other symptoms that are deemed non-specific are headaches, irritability, moodiness, difficulty concentrating, Noctoria (getting up in the middle of the night to urinate), increased urination, decreased sexual drive, increased heart rate, anxiety, depression, esophageal reflux (acid reflux disease), and profuse heavy sweating at night.

Sleep apnea is the condition for where there are pauses in breathing during sleep. There are two types of apneas Central and Obstructive.

The factors that are considered are an individual's medical history, severity of the disorder, and the specific cause for the obstruction. Some treatments also incorporate a lifestyle change, avoiding alcohol and medications that can relax the nervous system.

Usually if someone who's morbidly obese and loses about 50 pounds within a couple months their condition improves, but it's usually up to a steady support system to get someone on a set routine and healthy eating plan that helps to get their weight down so they can qualify for other treatments to help them maintain weight loss which is either through gastric bypass which has to be strongly enforced since this surgery is irreversible and you have to eat differently and undergo a major lifestyle change. The other option is lap band, which is reversible, but again to maintain the weight loss to improve sleep and breathing patterns comes with monitoring what one eats and exercise to help improve breathing patterns.

Individuals born with Down's Syndrome are likely to develop obstructive sleep apnea since 50% of the population that has this genetic condition are likely to be diagnosed because of having an enlarged head, adenoids, tonsils, tongue, and narrowing of the nasopharnyx. Pharyngeal flap surgery has also been noted to cause sleep apnea in patients because of the obstruction in the breathing pattern after surgery which if not monitored can be life threatening. There are different treatments for people with sleep apnea and doctors and ENT (Ear Nose and Throat) specialists take the following into consideration for designing a treatment plan for those who are diagnosed with this condition.

Cracking The Sleep disorders Code

Sleep disorders usually have their roots in a medical problem or a prescription drug taken to treat a disease. The common diseases leading to sleep disorders are cardiovascular, neurological, mental, kidney, and gastroesophageal disorders as well as arthritis.

1. Cardiovascular Disorders

Coronary heart disease is characterized by the accumulation of fatty deposits in the arteries that carry blood to the heart, leading to a condition known as atherosclerosis.

The most common cardiovascular disorders that cause sleep disorders are coronary artery disease and congestive heart failure. Both these disorders can cause obstructive sleep apnea.

Congestive heart failure is characterized by the inability of the heart to pump sufficient blood to satisfy the requirements of the body. As a result of this, blood accumulates in the veins leading to the kidneys, and the resulting edema inflicts a lot of damage to the organs of the body.

2. Endocrine Disorders

The hormones released by the thyroid gland regulates the energy levels of the body. A person suffering from hyperthyroidism sweats profusely at night and is unable to enjoy a peaceful night's rest.

Sleep disorders are also the result of endocrine malfunction such as thyroid disorder and diabetes. Diabetes affects the way in which the body stores and uses carbohydrates, fats, and proteins. People who do not manage and control their diabetic condition often suffer from restless leg syndrome.

3. Neurological Disorders

Epilepsy affects the normal electrical functions of the brain and leads to short, sudden changes in it that are recurrent. People suffering from epilepsy are more likely to suffer from insomnia.

Neurological disorders such as Alzheimer's disease, strokes, epilepsy, and Parkinson's disease are also responsible for sleep disorders.

Usually, stroke is associated with obstructive sleep apnea.

Alzheimer's disease impairs the intellectual functions of the brain and causes dementia. It also causes a sleep disorder called fragmentation.

Parkinson's disease affects the central nervous system. Its symptoms include difficulties in movement, tremors, unstable posture, slow movements, stiffness in the muscles, and difficulties in walking. Parkinson's disease causes sleep disorders such as sleep onset insomnia and REM sleep behavior disorder.

4. Respiratory Disorders

Parkinson's disease affects the central nervous system. Its symptoms include difficulties in movement, tremors, unstable posture, slow movements, stiffness in the muscles, and difficulties in walking. Parkinson's disease causes sleep disorders such as sleep onset insomnia and REM sleep behavior disorder.

Sleep disorders are also the result of endocrine malfunction such as thyroid disorder and diabetes. People who do not manage and control their diabetic condition often suffer from restless leg syndrome.

The air passages of those suffering from asthma are inflamed. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, also known as COPD, is a group of respiratory disorders that cause untold damage to the lungs and lead to difficulties in breathing.

Those suffering from a respiratory disorder such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and asthma usually suffer from an accompanying sleep disorder such as insomnia and sleep fragmentation.  Solution for sleep apnea

Snore Less Often And Sleep More Often

If you snore, a solution might be as easy as going to a dentist. Your dentist will be able to take an impression of your teeth and make you a custom mouth-guard. You should wear the mouth-guard every night, as it can lessen the chances of snoring; it holds your lower jaw in a position that is slightly forward, keeping your airways open sufficiently.

These illicit drugs can contribute to your snoring. While awake, the sense of being relaxed may be appealing, but once you drift off, you will surely snore.

Snoring could be your body" s way of letting you know that something is wrong with your health. If you get a signal this face-slappingly obvious, listen to it. The tips in this article can help narrow down the cause of snoring, and help a person to address the root cause of the problem.

If you sleep on your side, this will reduce your likelihood of snoring. If you sleep on your side, this will reduce your likelihood of snoring. Sleeping enough can reduce snoring greatly. Keeping your mouth open promotes snoring, and the sound of snoring is the result of breathing through your mouth and throat.

Some of them might be the cause of your snoring problem. These restricted airways can cause snoring.

Breathing the vapor into the nasal passages and throat can moisten your airways. One benefit this could bring is the reduction in your snoring.

One way to stop your snoring is to sleep in a different position than usual. Most of the time, snoring occurs when a person sleeps on their back.

As silly as it may seem, singing may be the answer to curing your snoring. When these muscles become strong, this helps to minimize the possibility of you snoring.

Losing weight often leads to a reduction in snoring. Even losing just a few pounds can have a significant impact on your snoring.

Exercise helps to make your breathing more regular and may help prevent snoring. This will reduce your likelihood of snoring if you sleep on your side. Sleeping on your back makes it more likely that you will snore.

If you sleep on your side, this will reduce your likelihood of snoring. Keeping your mouth open promotes snoring, and the sound of snoring is the result of breathing through your mouth and throat.

Snoring can be really tough to deal with whenever you are sleeping, but in actuality, there could be a more serious underlying condition. It might be a signal from the body to indicate something is wrong. Read this article to learn more about the different causes of snoring and find a solution you can use.

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Keeping your mouth open promotes snoring, and the sound of snoring is the result of breathing through your mouth and throat. The air you take in will not enter your throat if you breathe through your nose.

Sleeping enough can reduce snoring greatly.

Chin Strap for Snoring: An Easy Method to Stop Snoring

How to Get Uninterrupted Sleep?

One of the best ways to fight snoring is a jaw supporter or the chin strap. A jaw supporter is a very popular anti-snoring device readily available everywhere to help you control your snoring.

What is this Chin Strap Device?

The main function of this device is to let you breathe easily through your nose by forcing your mouth to shut and holding your jaws together. A chin strap for snoring helps the open mouth to shut while sleeping simultaneously eliminating the loud snoring noises in an effort to place you and others around into a peaceful slumber.

Enhancing Your Breathing Skills

If you look around you may get two varieties of these anti snoring jaw straps. This strap holds your mouth shut while sleeping hence controlling the snoring.

Disadvantages and advantages

The only disadvantage of this device is that if you stop using it for a while you may once again develop the inclination of keeping your mouth open while sleeping which might be due to your habit. This will result in you starting to snore again. The biggest advantage the chin strap for snoring can provide apart from controlling the snoring is that you would not have to consider surgery for snoring.

Inexpensive and simple Device

There are other advantages of this chin strap for snoring which has made it so popular. Due to the simplicity of the chin strap for snoring, it is very user-friendly and can be easily cleaned.

When to stop using the snoring strap

Whenever you feel that your snoring has improved, you can stop using the straps provided you have got over the habit of keeping your mouth open while sleeping. The day you can stop using chin strap for snoring and have mastered your habit, you can lead a very blissful life with yourself and your family.

Whenever you feel that your snoring has improved, you can stop using the straps provided you have got over the habit of keeping your mouth open while sleeping. The day you can stop using chin strap for snoring and have mastered your habit, you can lead a very blissful life with yourself and your family.

One of the best ways to fight snoring is a jaw supporter or the chin strap. A jaw supporter is a very popular anti-snoring device readily available everywhere to help you control your snoring. The biggest advantage the chin strap for snoring can provide apart from controlling the snoring is that you would not have to consider surgery for snoring.