| Sleep Apnea—What Is It? |
| By Darien Simon, M.S. |
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Sleep apnea is a sleep disorder often associated with loud snoring, though not all snorers have sleep apnea. Those snorers who do have sleep apnea most often have the form called obstructive sleep apnea, in which the windpipe collapses due to suction from an obstruction of the effort to inhale. The effort is usually obstructed by a fat buildup or loss of muscle tone, though it can also be caused by malfunction of the neurons controlling breathing. To distinguish the two types, the neuron malfunction type of sleep apnea is not characterized by loud snoring, and is called central apnea, not obstructive sleep apnea.
Whichever cause originates the problem, the collapse of the windpipe block air flow for anywhere from 10 to 60 seconds at a time, leading to a decline in blood oxygen levels. When the blood oxygen level reaches a certain point, the brain send out signals to awaken the sleeper. Partial awakening opens the windpipe enough for air passage, but is often accompanied by a loud choking or snorting noise. Once the windpipe opens, and the blood oxygen levels rise, the brain stops signaling the sleeper to wake up, and the cycle of collapse, decreasing oxygen, awakening stimuli, and increasing oxygen levels begins again. This cycle may repeat 20 to 30 times per hour, up to hundreds of times per night, leaving the sleep apnea affected person, and often their partner, with disrupted, poor quality sleep. Sleep apnea disrupts a good night's sleep in several ways. First, large numbers of repetitions of the cycle occur through the night, each one acting to awaken the sleeper (and potentially, the sleeper’s partner) at least slightly. Second, the repeated drop in blood oxygen levels impacts the restfulness and restorative power of sleep. And, finally, the obstructive sleep apnea cycle repeatedly forces the sleeper out of the natural sleep cycle, especially the deeper sleep that is necessary for repair of normal daily cell damage, and proper learning and memory function, thus reducing not only the quantity, but the quality of sleep. While it might seem sensible to try sleeping pills to treat the sleep loss characteristic of sleep apnea, it is not a good idea. Most sleeping pills have a sedative effect which can make the sleeper too drowsy to effectively awaken when the blood oxygen level falls, thus leading to other potential problems. However, there is at least one anecdotal report that the compounds in Dreamboost may help improve the quality and quantity of sleep, even for people with obstructive sleep apnea, without increasing this risk. Despite this report, if you believe you have obstructive sleep apnea, you should consult your health care provider before trying any treatment other than sleeping on your side instead of on your back. |
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