What Is Sleep Apnea - Health Care

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The question is often asked, 'what is sleep apnea really?' The answer is not quite as complicated as the name suggests. Sleep apnea is a debilitating disorder that affects approximately 2 percent of sleepers worldwide.

Whilst asleep, sufferers cease to breathe for between 10 and 25 seconds at a time, depleting the bloodstream and brain of oxygen supplies. Finally, after much gasping and spluttering for air, the brain sends emergency signals which cause the individual to awaken and take a breath. Recent studies suggest that over 15 million individuals in the USA suffer from the condition, whilst in the Britain figures are just under 85 000.

Typically, men are far more likely to suffer from the condition than women, as are individuals over the age of forty. Being overweight, a regular drinker or a heavy smoker also increase ones chances of succumbing to sleep apnea, although there really are no hard and fast rules. The condition has been known to manifest itself in young, healthy individuals as well as children.

It has been established that children do in fact commonly suffer from a number of sleep disorders, sleep apnea being but one such disorder. Often, parents dismiss the symptoms of the condition as merely being a sign of restlessness or bad dreams. If left untreated, sleep apnea may lead to aggressiveness, the inability to concentrate, moodiness and hyperactivity.

Three different sub- types of apnea are known to exist, those being obstructive sleep apnea, central sleep apnea and mixed sleep apnea. Although caused by different things, all three forms ultimately have the same end result, namely the cessation of breathing and a temporary lack of oxygen to the brain and body tissues.

The effects of sleep apnea can range from mild to serious, depending on the severity of the condition and how quickly sufferers are diagnosed and treated. The primary effect of apnea or Sleep Apnea Syndrome (SAS) as it is sometimes called is that it results in individuals constantly being exhausted during daytime hours due to the poor quality of sleep that they receive at night.

Indeed, due to the fact that sufferers are constantly spinning within a cycle of sleeping and waking throughout the night, they seldom if ever manage to reach the deeper levels of the sleep cycle. These phases are essential for tissue repair and replenishment of energy levels. As a result, individuals will experience lethargy, forgetfulness and a lack of mental alertness. If left untreated, sleep apnea may eventually lead to anxiety, depression, hypertension and in severe cases even cardiovascular diseases and strokes. Interestingly enough the condition has also on occasion been linked to obesity and diabetes.

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