Sleep Apnea Is A Commonly Seen and Occasionally Fatal Sleeping Disorder

Sleep apnea is perhaps the most commonly seen of all sleep disorders and affects almost 18 million people in the US. A sleeping disorder that is characterized by broken breathing during sleep, sleep apnea is also undeniably the most dangerous of all sleeping disorders because it deprives the brain of crucial oxygen and sometimes proves to be fatal.

There are two entirely separate types of sleep apnea. Central sleep apnea is in essence a neurological disorder where breathing is broken because of signals sent out by the brain. Obstructive sleep apnea is in essence a mechanical problem where the windpipe is obstructed either by too much tissue or as a result of the abnormal collapse or relaxation of the muscles around the windpipe. In both cases however the results are basically identical with recurrent interruptions to the breathing which starve the brain of oxygen and put the sufferer at greater risk from things like high blood pressure, heart attack and stroke.

Unluckily, diagnosing sleep apnea is not always easy because snoring, which is one of its commonest symptoms and frequently results in sleep apnea being known as the snoring disease, is also seen as a symptom of a variety of other problems. Snoring is certainly often seen in cases of sleep apnea because the brain reacts to a drop in oxygen by awakening the sufferer sufficiently to restart the breathing process and this often results in snoring.

This repeated awakening during the night also results in a poor quality of sleep and it is not at all uncommon for sufferers to wake up in the morning feeling even more tired than they were when they went to bed. This also produces a feeling of sheer exhaustion during the course of the day and an overpowering wish to sleep.

But, tiredness arising from a poor quality of sleep is only part of the problem and various other symptoms will also generally be seen including morning headaches, poor memory and a difficulty in maintaining concentration.

Left untreated the mounting tiredness from sleep apnea may cause major psychological difficulties beginning with simple touchiness and progressing to depression with noticeable changes in both mood and behavior.

Both obstructive sleep apnea and central sleep apnea can be treated and, as long as the condition is diagnosed early enough, treatment is often relatively simple. For example, a mild case of obstructive sleep apnea resulting from nasal congestion can usually be treated with nothing more than a course of decongestants. In the same way, many cases of sleep apnea which are not particularly severe may be treated with a mask which is worn during sleep and which delivers a constant pressure of air to keep the airway open. Lastly, in the most severe cases of sleep apnea surgery might be required and can be very effective, although it may also produce numerous complications and must be approached carefully.

Possibly the most important thing to bear in mind when treating sleep apnea is that because it carries with it the potentially fatal risk of respiratory failure sufferers should not be tempted to take sleeping pills or to use other types of sleep enhancers without the approval of their doctor.

Natural sleep remedies can undoubtedly provide an effective complement to medically prescribed medicines and herbs that are designed to improve both the quality and duration of sleep may be helpful in the management of the excessive daytime sleepiness normally accompanying sleep apnea. In the same way, things like aromatherapy, chromatherapy and meditation and guided relaxation can help in reducing the anxiety and insomnia which go along with sleep apnea.

Help-Me-To-Sleep.com looks in detail at sleep apnea symptoms and also at child sleep apnea