A Definition Of Sleep Apnea Disorder As Well As Its Cause, Warning Signs and Diagnosis - By: Don Saunders

The most widespread form of sleep apnea is known as obstructive sleep apnea and is a disorder marked by periods during which breathing stops while you are sleeping. Sometimes this medical condition is called obstructive sleep apnea syndrome or sleep apnea syndrome.

In healthy people the muscles that work the upper section of the throat make sure that the flow of air in and out of the lungs is both continuous and steady. While you sleep these muscles relax to a degree but nevertheless still manage to do their job properly. However those people who have sleep apnea frequently have airways that are narrowed for one reason or another so that when the throat muscles relax this causes the airway to partially or completely close up thereby no longer allowing for the passage of air to the lungs. Snoring and labored breathing leading to a sleep apnea episode will then result.

In some people breathing can also stop completely during periods of deep (or REM) sleep and researchers and medical experts are nor clear about just why this happens. These periods during which breathing stops can last for ten seconds or more in severe cases and are known as apneic events or sleep apnea episodes.

These sleep apnea episodes lead to a degree of awareness that you have ceases breathing and you subsequently struggle to start breathing again which is usually accompanied by gasping, choking or even snorting.

Thereafter it is normal to fall into a period of light sleep before the cycle of sleep apnea episodes starts again.

The consequence is that an individual suffers from sleep that is fragmented and does not allow them to enjoy amount of rest that they need each night. This in turn leads to a host of health problems one of which is excessive daytime tiredness. One reason for this daytime symptom is the fact that the oxygen level in the blood stream falls markedly during an apneic event leading to a condition called hypoxia.

It is very important to realize that many people with sleep apnea are not aware of their problem and often it is left to others to point out the problem. Sufferers are generally aware of being very tired during the day but do not necessarily know why this is so.

The most common signs of sleep apnea include loud snoring, awakening in the morning and still feeling tired, morning headaches, difficulties with concentration, changes in personality, falling asleep at inopportune times, hypertension, hyperactivity (in children) and swelling of the legs in severe cases.

The first step in diagnosing sleep apnea ought to a trip to the doctor who will take a full medical history and examine your mouth, throat and neck for signs of any growths or abnormalities. If your doctor suspects that you have sleep apnea he will send you for a sleep study and what is called a polysomnogram (or PSG). This test records brain waves, eye movement, muscle activity, breathing rate, blood oxygen levels, heart rate and the quantity of air that is being inhaled and exhaled while you are sleeping.

About the Author

Visit Help-Me-To-Sleep.com to discover more about sleep apnea including details of some of the dangers of sleep apnea

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