Are you always tired? Do others report that you snore? Are you a tad or more overweight? If these are true, you may have sleep apnea.
If all these are true, don't wait! Sleep apnea could be shortening your life. Have your doctor prescribe a sleep study to find out whether you have sleep apnea. Sleep apnea is a condition where you are holding your breath and then gasping for air man times a night. Here's one reason why you shouldn't wait: it will shorten your life. You are at increased risk of stroke, heart attack, and other cardiovascular disease including aneurism. Here's the other reason why you shouldn't wait: there's treatment.
In sleep apnea, the airway collapses during an intake breath. Fatty tissue lining the airway causes the airway to lose elasticity. At least a bit of excess weight is therefore generally necessary for sleep apnea to occur. Sufferers generally also snore.
The airway closes. The sleeper struggles for breath. The oxygen level in the blood drops. As a result, blood pressure spikes. The sleeper begins to awaken. A semi-conscious effort opens the airway, and the breath is finally allowed in. This cycle can happen several times per minute. If breathing stops for 10 seconds, sleep apnea is diagnosed.
Your cardiovascular system will wear out from the constantly spiking blood pressure. Your rest will be ruined because of the constant near-waking.
The fact that you are holding your breath may come as a surprise to you. It's the constant tiredness that will be obvious.
The spiking blood pressure many times each night will bring you closer to heart attack or stroke.
What to do?
Effective treatment has been available for a couple of decades now. The continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) system supplies air from a fan through a hose to a mask placed over the nose and mouth. Pressure from the fan keeps the airway open as you breathe in. It's not so much pressure that you can't breathe out.
Well, nothing's perfect, and some people report their masks are not comfortable. But there are plenty of options on the market.
The CPAP might limit your activities, too, because you always have to wear it, even if you are traveling or camping.
Is the fan noise a problem? Users say no; the white noise can actually help them fall asleep.
So, do a quick risk analysis. Is the risk of early death worth the inconvenience of wearing a mask and finding an electric outlet whenever you fall asleep? - 15431
If all these are true, don't wait! Sleep apnea could be shortening your life. Have your doctor prescribe a sleep study to find out whether you have sleep apnea. Sleep apnea is a condition where you are holding your breath and then gasping for air man times a night. Here's one reason why you shouldn't wait: it will shorten your life. You are at increased risk of stroke, heart attack, and other cardiovascular disease including aneurism. Here's the other reason why you shouldn't wait: there's treatment.
In sleep apnea, the airway collapses during an intake breath. Fatty tissue lining the airway causes the airway to lose elasticity. At least a bit of excess weight is therefore generally necessary for sleep apnea to occur. Sufferers generally also snore.
The airway closes. The sleeper struggles for breath. The oxygen level in the blood drops. As a result, blood pressure spikes. The sleeper begins to awaken. A semi-conscious effort opens the airway, and the breath is finally allowed in. This cycle can happen several times per minute. If breathing stops for 10 seconds, sleep apnea is diagnosed.
Your cardiovascular system will wear out from the constantly spiking blood pressure. Your rest will be ruined because of the constant near-waking.
The fact that you are holding your breath may come as a surprise to you. It's the constant tiredness that will be obvious.
The spiking blood pressure many times each night will bring you closer to heart attack or stroke.
What to do?
Effective treatment has been available for a couple of decades now. The continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) system supplies air from a fan through a hose to a mask placed over the nose and mouth. Pressure from the fan keeps the airway open as you breathe in. It's not so much pressure that you can't breathe out.
Well, nothing's perfect, and some people report their masks are not comfortable. But there are plenty of options on the market.
The CPAP might limit your activities, too, because you always have to wear it, even if you are traveling or camping.
Is the fan noise a problem? Users say no; the white noise can actually help them fall asleep.
So, do a quick risk analysis. Is the risk of early death worth the inconvenience of wearing a mask and finding an electric outlet whenever you fall asleep? - 15431
About the Author:
Writer Susan Harris is pleased to tell you all about sleep apnea and its treatment, the CPAP sleep apnea machine. Check out her Internet site for plenty of information to help you see how it works and choose the best one for you.
