Managing Sleep Apnea: What Do You Need To Know?
Managing sleep apnea is quite possibly the most practical, effective, and rewarding exercise of natural rehabilitation you can do for yourself. A sleep apnea diagnosis may mean a complete 10-minute ‘break’ from your daily routine, however, this only means that you need to stretch out your evenings and give yourself more time to get in your full amount of time each day if you’re still sleeping poorly.
What is Sleep Apnea?
Sleep apnea is a disorder of breathing that can cause people to stop breathing during the night. The most common type of sleep apnea is obstructive sleep apnea, which is when a person’s airway becomes blocked repeatedly during sleep. Sleep apnea can also be caused by other factors, such as loud snoring or daytime sleepiness.
Sleep apnea can have a big impact on your health. It’s linked with an increased risk of heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, and diabetes. And it can also increase your need for oxygen at night, which can lead to bed sores and other medical problems. If you are struggling with the same situation then it is advised to get in touch with professionals like Peak Flow to get the right training to improve your life.
To diagnose sleep apnea, your doctor will ask you about your sleeping habits and may do a physical exam. If you have obstructive sleep apnea, your doctor may recommend treatments like CPAP (continuous positive air pressure) machines or mouth devices called mandibular repositioning devices (MRDs).
Types of Sleep Apnea
Sleep apnea is a disorder where people stop breathing during sleep, apparently because of the obstruction of airflow through the throat. There are different types of sleep apnea, and you may need different treatments depending on the type. Here’s a look at the five most common types:
- Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is the most common type and usually results from the collapse of one or more soft tissues in the upper airway that block airflow. People with OSA typically experience snoring, fatigue and problems concentrating during the day. Treatment involves wearing a CPAP machine that forces air into your airway to keep you breathing at night.
- Central apnea is caused by an obstruction in either the brain or spinal cord that blocks airflow to the lungs. As a result, people with central apnea can’t breathe during sleep even if they’re using a CPAP machine. It’s usually caused by abnormalities in structures such as the tongue or palate, but can also be caused by medical conditions like brain tumors or head injuries. Most people with central apnea eventually require some form of continuous mechanical ventilation (i.e.. a ventilator).
3 . Palinopsia is when people wake up from sleep feeling as if something is blocking their throat – this can be caused by OSA, central apnea, or another type of sleep apnea.
Who Suffers from Obstructive Sleep Apnea?
Obstructive sleep apnea is a sleep disorder in which abnormal pauses in breathing during sleep cause to increase in the risk for cardiovascular disease, stroke, high blood pressure, and memory problems. The most common type of obstructive sleep apnea is Obstructive Sleep Apnea-Hypopnea Syndrome (OSAHS). OSAHS is characterized by five or more episodes of partial or complete cessation of breathing during sleep per hour of sleep. Individuals usually have at least one episode per night, and the episodes typically last 10 seconds or more.
Obstructive Sleep Apnea can be caused by a number of factors including:
-Age: Adults over age 50 are particularly susceptible to developing OSAHS because their airways become narrow as they age.
-Gender: Men are more likely to develop OSAHS than women. This may be due to the fact that men have larger lung volumes than women and thus are more likely to experience blocked air passages during sleep.
-Race: Hispanics are particularly susceptible to developing OSAHS due to the combination of their smaller lung volumes and higher incidence of obesity.
What Can Be Done to Prevent Sleep Apnea?
There is no one-size-fits-all solution to treating sleep apnea, but there are a few things you can do to help reduce your chances of developing the condition. If you have mild to moderate sleep apnea, using a CPAP machine at night may help improve your snoring and breathing. If you have severe sleep apnea, surgery may be necessary to permanently fix the airflow obstruction.
Another step you can take to reduce your purpose of sleep apnea is to follow a healthy lifestyle. Include regular exercise and healthy eating habits in your routine in order to keep your voice box functioning properly. Avoid smoking, drinking alcohol excessively, and using supplements that contain caffeine or other stimulants late at night. Finally, make sure to get plenty of rest every night by sleeping for at least seven hours.