Sleep Apnea: Have You Stopped Breathing During Sleep?


Sleep apnea is a disorder that is caused when a person suddenly stops breathing for around 20 seconds, thus disturbing sleep. This does not wake up the person, but there is a feeling of not having a sound sleep and the person who suffers from this disorder feels weak, as there is no required rest. On average, this problem occurs around 400 times during the entire sleeping time and hence it can ruin the schedule of the day due to lack of rest. Sleep apnea occurs in three main main ways: obstructive apnea, central apnea and mixed apnea. Men are more prone to this kind of a problem, especially after the age of 40.

Types of Apnea

If there is an obstruction or collapse of the upper airway (throat), usually accompanied by a reduction in blood oxygen saturation, and followed by an awakening to breathe the person has an obstructive sleep apnea. Central sleep apnea occurs when it is seen that the neurological condition is disturbed causing cessation of all respiratory effort during sleep, usually with decreases in blood oxygen saturation. In some cases there is a problem in the brainstem center controlling breathing shuts down there's no respiratory effort and no breathing. If a person is detected with both these types together, then it is known as mixed apnea as it starts with a central component and then becomes obstructive in nature.

Common Symptoms

One has to be vigilant when there is a sleeping problem and there should be an observer who can see if the sleep of the patient is often associated with loud snores, gasps, moans, and mumblings. The patient can be a good observer himself if he detects the symptoms when he wakes up like feelings of grogginess, dullness, morning headaches, severe dryness of the mouth. There are other significant symptoms like loud snoring that will disrupt the bed partner's sleep and often cause her/him to move to a separate bed or room.

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