Sleep Facts

Breathing is such a natural, automatic thing. You usually aren’t even consciously paying attention to doing it. Imagine if all of the sudden you just stopped breathing and found yourself unable to take a breath for 10 seconds. Now imagine this happening dozens of times per hour. If you were awake it would be terrifying. People who suffer sleep apnea can have this happen during their sleep without even being aware of it. This can result in a sudden heart related death as the improper levels of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the blood cause the nervous system to go haywire. It is estimated that one in four adults suffer some form of this disorder.

If you’re asleep, how can you even know if you suffer from sleep apnea? Some signs are more obvious including resltess sleeping and loud snoring and gasping. Others are more cryptic such as headaches upon waking, moodiness, forgetfulness and heavy sweating at night. Sleep apnea comes in two categories: central and obstructive. In central sleep apnea the brain mysteriously stops sending the signal to breathe during sleep. Obstructive sleep apnea is far more common. Illnesses, obesity, alcohol or drugs can often cause obstructive sleep apnea.

In the worst cases of sleep apnea a face mask is worn in order to prevent the air from becoming blocked and stimulate its flow. Continuous positive airway pressure using these masks is the most effective form of treatment for obstructive problems. Medication is rarely successful in curing the condition. Other methods including electrical stimulation using pacemaker type devices are being studied in the hopes of finding additional treatment paths.

The important thing to remember of course is to see a doctor if you have any concerns at all about your sleep. They can refer you to a sleep specialist and in the case of sleep apnea an effective solution can almost always be found. Sleep apnea is a progressive illness and over time it can get much worse. Because of the potential risk of dying in your sleep this is a condition that should be taken care of as soon as possible.

Even though most people would prefer to die in their sleep, few would feel comfortable knowing that they could have prevented it. Sleep apnea is a silent killer, and even when it doesn’t kill it can affect the quality of your life. Everyone deserves a good night’s rest, be safe and see a doctor if you feel your sleep might be compromised. You’re life may depend on it.