Sleep is an indispensable function that allows us to rest our body and mind and wake up in a refreshed and awakened mood. During our sleep many important functions take place that help our body repair and recover physically, support brain development, cardiac functions, body metabolism, improve memory and mood. Healthy sleep also helps the body stay healthy and fight illness.
Sleep deprivation and poor-quality sleep on a regular basis can cause long-term health problems, including: obesity, Type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, mental health issues etc. Many of these symptoms can occur due to sleep disorders one of which could be Sleep Apnea. On an average healthy adults need between 7-9 hours of quality sleep each day.
Sleep Apnea is a serious disorder in which a person experiences long pauses multiple times during sleep making them struggle to breathe due to underlying causes. These episodes can occur multiple times in an hour making it serious or fatal in some cases. Due to multiple reasons, a person can stop breathing that pause may be due to OSA (Obstructive Sleep Apnea) or CSA (Central Sleep Apnea). OSA is caused due to airway blockage and CSA is caused due to brain signal problems.
Obstructive Sleep Apnea or OSA occurs when the upper airway is obstructed during sleep and short-term breathing stops for 10 to 30 seconds (sometimes longer). When the muscles relax, inhalation narrows or closes the airways, preventing breathing for more than 10 seconds. The person wakes up for a short time and breathes again. This lowers the oxygen levels in the blood and can cause carbon dioxide build up in our body.
The most common causes of excessive daytime sleepiness are sleep deprivation, obstructive sleep apnea, and sedating medications.
Snoring is bothersome to others, but it can also be a sign of a more serious condition known as Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA), which is present in more than 3% of the general population.
People with sleep apnea struggle to remember details of memories from their own lives, putting them at risk of depression and dementia.
Both insomnia and sleep apnea can disrupt your sleep, and the two conditions can present with similar daytime symptoms. Learn how these two common sleep disorders differ.
Untreated sleep apnea can cause complications such as mental and physical ailments. It can also cause drowsiness and increase the risk of accidents while driving or working inefficiency. Symptoms include severe snoring, lethargy and uneasiness, even after sleeping overnight. Treatment often includes lifestyle changes such as losing excessive weight and the use of night-time breathing aids like CPAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure) devices.
Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) device is a gold standard treatment for people who suffer from sleep disorders. CPAP machines use mild air pressure to keep the airways open, and are typically used by patients who have breathing problems during sleep. CPAP therapy helps in making sure that your airway doesn't collapse when you breathe while asleep.
sleep testing is an easy, cost-effective way to find out whether you’re having trouble breathing. A Sleep Apnea test is a very simplified breathing monitor that tracks your breathing, oxygen levels, breathing effort, snoring, apneas and its type.
