Sleep apnea is a life-threatening condition that may affect either annoyingly or adversely the life and health of an individual. It is a kind of sleeping disorder which is characterized by difficulty breathing during sleep basically because of the tissues that block and obstructs the breathing of the person. Surveys of different health institutes show 4 – 5% of the population with the age range of 30 – 40 have Sleep Apnea. The negative effects of this medical condition could be life-threatening not only to the person but could also be to the people around him because this is closely related to daytime sleepiness. This is especially dangerous for pilots since the lives of the passengers on board can also be at risk. For others daytime sleepiness could cause traffic accidents.
People who have excessive weight or are obese are the primary people who are at risk because of the structure of the neck and the tissues inside which were developed as the person started to be fat. Those who have large tonsils and other distinctive physical attributes are likely to have this disorder. Basically, the likelihood to have sleep apnea runs in the family thus, it is yet imperative to be aware of your family history to prevent yourself from having this.
Sleep apnea is fortunately treatable however most cases of this condition remain undiagnosed. This is because those who have this disorder don’t even know they have it and usually their partners or family members are the first people to notice the signs. Frequent and loud snoring is usually the primary sign of this disorder. Frequent silences during sleep because of the breaks in breathing could also be noticed in people with this sleeping disorder and when they are able to breathe, they choke or gasp to fill the lungs with air. Because these people can’t usually get a good sleep at night, daytime sleepiness could be noticed and sometimes inappropriate sleepiness at daytime. These people also look exhausted and tired at daytime. It is also noted that those people who have this disorder have a high risk to heart attacks, hypertension and other cardiovascular diseases.
Continuous positive airway pressure is one of the most effective treatments of this disorder especially when it is already acute. This is done by putting a mask over the person’s nose and strapping it around his head to facilitate breathing. The mask is attached to a tube that would continuously support air through the nostrils of the patient. There are also self-help treatments used for minor sleep apnea. This would include losing weight accompanied by eating a healthy diet and avoiding alcohol and tobacco. When sleeping, it is recommended to sleep on your side and elevate the head 4-6 inches higher.
Sleeping is considered one of the most relaxing activities for the body and the brain thus, it would be unfortunate to experience sleeping disorders during this time. Living a healthy lifestyle is the key to avoid all kinds of disorders may it be a sleeping disorder, eating disorder, etc.