Keeping Everyone Up with Your Snoring? It May be a Sign of a Serious Breathing Problem

Are you bothered with your own or someone else’s snoring? Snoring may be a sign of sleep apnoea. Sleep apnoea is a sleep problem marked by cessation of breathing or reduction of ventilation during sleep.  It can have signs and symptoms such as increased daytime sleepiness and fatigue. Apnoea is Greek for “without breath,” and, according to the National Sleep Foundation, more than 18 million Americans are “without breath” in their sleep.

An article from http://www.pennlive.com has pointed out some facts regarding sleep apnoea.

• Mild sleep apnoea is defined as having between five and 15 of these events per hour.

• Moderate sleep apnoea is 15 to 30 events and severe sleep apnoea is more than 30 events per hour. Each event leaves the patient breathless for at least 10 seconds.

• The American Sleep Apnoea Association defines three different kinds of apnoea: obstructive sleep apnoea, central apnoea and mixed sleep apnoea.

• Obstructive sleep apnoea occurs when there is a blockage of the airway. In most cases, the blockage is caused by the soft tissue in the back of the throat collapsing during sleep.

• Central apnoea is brain-based. The brain isn’t signalling your body to breathe.

• Mixed apnoea is a combination of obstructive and central sleep apnoea.

• Left untreated, sleep apnoea can lead to some very serious health risks such as stroke, congestive heart failure, cardiac arrhythmia, depression, diabetes, motor vehicle accident from falling asleep while driving, memory problems and obesity.

• A study published by the Journal of the American College of Cardiology found that people with OSA are at a significantly higher risk for sudden cardiac death.

• Risk factors for sleep apnoea include being male, a large neck greater than 16 inches, BMI greater than 35, over age 40, snoring and signs and symptoms such as hypertension or constantly feel tired.

• Anyone with diabetes and hypertension is also at an increased risk for sleep apnoea.

• Sleep apnoea is diagnosed with a sleep study. Sleep studies are conducted in hotel-like rooms with private bathrooms for patient comfort. Patients are monitored during the night — or day, depending on the sleep study — with a series of electrodes.

• There are several approaches to treating sleep apnoea. The most common treatment is CPAP, continuous positive airway pressure. CPAP uses air pressure delivered via a mask to keep the airways open. The air pressure prevents snoring and apnoeas.

• Surgery is another treatment option for OSA. The most common surgery is uvulopalatopharyngoplasty, a procedure that removes tissue from the soft palate and/or back of the throat to make the airway bigger.

• Sleep apnoea can also be treated with an expiratory positive airway pressure, which are small valve-like devices worn over the nostrils that create pressure on the expiration, keeping the airways open.

• Some patients also find success with oral appliances that are fitted in the mouth to reposition the tongue and lower jaw.

• Sometimes weight loss and positional therapy are recommended, especially when implemented in conjunction with other treatments.

Read more here:

http://www.pennlive.com/bodyandmind/index.ssf/2013/10/keeping_everyone_up_with_your.html

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