 |
| Image courtesy of graur codrin / FreeDigitalPhotos.net |
This is so since the individual may be having a sleep disorder wherein he frequently finds himself no longer breathing - in episodes - throughout his sleep. This is what is known as sleep apnea.
Individuals with sleep apnea stop breathing several times in an hour with a 10 to 30 seconds duration at each episode. If you have sleep apnea, can you just imagine how many times you will have to wake up at night? That is why with such a condition, you will certainly find yourself tired - when you finally have to get up from bed in the morning.
Whatever your daytime activity will be going to school, work or even for some leisure activity you will not be able to appreciate what you are doing. You will feel dazed and disoriented keeping you from enjoying your time and focusing on a task at hand. Nothing ruins your day more than being constantly irritated with every little thing that goes wrong or that will not go your way.
Sleep apnea has two main types obstructive sleep apnea and central sleep apnea. Obstructive sleep apnea is probably the most common among the two happening when your throat muscles relax more than they should. Central sleep apnea happens when the brain is unable to send appropriate signals to the muscles that will control your breathing. There will also be some however, who will experience both and thus the term, complex sleep apnea.
When one has sleep apnea, some signs and symptoms will be noticeable. For one, your bed partner will observe that you snore loudly - and will frequently see you wake up abruptly, accompanied by shortness of breath while you sleep. You will experience morning headaches, excessive sleepiness during daytime and feeling fatigued. In the long run, you may find it hard to fall asleep and develop what is called insomnia.
Sleep apnea may be observed on individuals at any age range and gender. What are identified as significant risk factors to developing obstructive sleep apnea includes being overweight, drinking too much alcohol and smoking. For central sleep apnea, the noteworthy risk factors include having brain tumor, heart disorder and neuromuscular disorders. As an additional information men are found to be more prone to experience any of the types of sleep apnea.
Complications for sleep apnea include having daytime fatigue posing a problem with your daytime activities. If you are working in your job, you will not be as effective as all the rest. Definitely, with your lack of sleep your hormones are not stabilized and you easily get annoyed. You will not have much control of your feelings and thus the feeling of being easily irritated. You will be quick to anger and will not be flexible enough to adjust to the situations presented to you.
Another complication is developing cardiovascular problems. Since you will frequently experience sudden drops in your blood oxygen levels as you sleep you will be straining your cardiovascular system, putting you to risk for heart failure. This will be dangerous for you and you wouldn't want a cardiac event to be a possibility for you.
If you or anybody observes that you are showing the symptoms related to sleep apnea it would be best for you to seek medical help. Visit your doctor and tell him what you have been experiencing. If possible, describe it in detail and give your doctor all information regarding your case. This will help in the doctor's diagnosis of your condition and so that your doctor will know what further tests are needed for you. Do not delay and have yourself treated so that you will avoid the danger sleep apnea will bring.
Related Articles From WebMD:
- Sleep Apnea Center: Symptoms, Treatments, Types (Central and Obstructive), Causes, and Tests
- What Is Sleep Apnea? Causes, Risk Factors, and Effects
- Tests for Diagnosing Sleep Apnea
0 comments :
Post a Comment