You May Have Sleep Apnea - Sweet Brook Berkshires

If you feel tired or have a headache when you wake up in the morning, it could be a sign of a sleep disorder like obstructive sleep apnea (app-nee-uh). This type of sleep apnea can be severe, moderate, or mild. It is a condition where your airway collapses or becomes blocked during sleep. Central sleep apnea is another type of sleep disorder. It is a condition where your brain fails to send signals to your breathing muscles.

Treating sleep apnea may require a sleep study and a visit to a sleep specialist. Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) is often used to treat sleep apnea. People with Sleep Apnea Australia may experience excessive daytime sleepiness.

What is Obstructive Sleep Apnea?

Sleep apnea is a sleep disorder caused by pauses in breathing for at least 10 seconds. Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) is the most common type, where people stop breathing for several seconds up to many times an hour. People diagnosed with OSA have at least five breathing pauses an hour or more. During these pauses, the brain, heart, kidneys, and other organs don’t get enough oxygen and carbon dioxide builds up in the body.

This triggers the brain to send a signal to take a breath, but the person wakes up enough to take a few breaths, but not enough to remember it the next morning. Treating it can be done with Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) or other methods. Mild, moderate, and severe OSA can be diagnosed by a sleep specialist through a sleep study. People with sleep apnea often feel exhausted in the morning due to daytime sleepiness.

Mild Obstructive Sleep Apnea

Mild Obstructive Sleep Apnea occurs when the airway is blocked by relaxed tongue muscles, soft palate, or throat parts during sleep. Central Sleep Apnea is less common and happens when the brain area that controls breathing doesn’t send the right signals to the muscles that help breathe. Sleep Apnea patients may snore loudly, snort, or gasp for air after a pause in breathing, and may fall asleep easily. Risk factors for Sleep Apnea include obesity, large neck size, family history, and age.

Untreated Sleep Apnea

Untreated Sleep Apnea can lead to high blood pressure and other health risks. Positive Airway Pressure, medications, and lifestyle changes are used to treat Sleep Apnea. A doctor can diagnose Sleep Apnea with a physical exam, and if left untreated, Sleep Disordered Breathing can develop.

These symptoms may happen less often or go unnoticed in women with OSA. Other symptoms include:

More than usual daytime sleepiness
Waking up with a dry throat or headache
Waking up often during the night
Difficulty concentrating or mood changes during the day

If you are having trouble sleeping, it is important to talk to your doctor. Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) is a sleep disorder and needs to be diagnosed by a specialist in Clinical Sleep Medicine. A sleep study can be done in a lab or at home to measure blood oxygen levels, heart rate, and breathing during sleep.

This will determine if your OSA is mild, moderate, or severe. OSA can lead to high blood pressure, daytime fatigue, and chronic lung diseases. Treatment may involve losing weight, using oral appliances, bilevel-positive airway pressure, or sleeping pills. To prevent OSA, consider how is your sleep, upper airway, and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. Central Sleep Apnea (CSA) is another type of sleep disorder that can cause problems with falling asleep and waking up. Treatment for CSA includes oxygen levels and breathing support.

Getting Treatment

Good sleep is essential for good health. Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) is a sleep disorder in which a person’s breathing is interrupted during sleep, leading to low oxygen levels and high blood pressure. It is important to get treatment for OSA, as it can increase your risk of serious health problems, such as heart attack, stroke, type 2 diabetes, glaucoma, obesity, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, and some types of cancer. Lifestyle changes, such as losing weight, drinking less alcohol, and stopping smoking, can help improve OSA.

Oral appliances, sleeping pills, and Bilevel Positive Airway Pressure (BPAP)

Oral appliances, sleeping pills, and Bilevel Positive Airway Pressure (BPAP) are other treatments for OSA. BPAP is a type of breathing machine that increases air pressure in the upper airway to prevent it from collapsing during sleep. Central Sleep Apnea (CSA) is another type of sleep apnea.

CSA happens when the brain fails to signal the body to breathe. People with CSA may experience daytime fatigue, chronic lung diseases, and difficulty falling asleep. Your doctor can help you decide which treatment is best for you.

The FDA evaluates the safety

The FDA evaluates the safety and effectiveness of certain medical devices, such as oral appliances and other airway pressure devices, before they can be marketed for treating sleep apnea. Depending on your health status and the type of OSA you may have, your doctor may prescribe one of these devices.

OSA occurs when your upper airway muscles relax and your airway narrows, causing you to snore loudly and have trouble concentrating. Weight loss, as well as exercising your throat muscles, can help reduce the risk of OSA.

If you have trouble with restless sleep

If you have trouble with restless sleep and other sleep disorders, such as emergent central sleep apnea, your doctor may suggest other treatments, such as increasing the pressure of the air you breathe, to help improve your breathing and oxygen levels, as well as normalize your sleep. Untreated OSA can lead to metabolic syndrome, increased risk of atrial fibrillation, and a soft palate.

CPAP Machine

People with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) often receive treatment with a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine. CPAPs use air pressure to keep airways open during sleep. A mask is placed over the nose and mouth, or just the nose, to deliver the air. CPAPs are the standard treatment for OSA, but a sleep specialist may have to adjust the settings and accessories for the best results.

Central sleep apnea (CSA) and obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) are other sleep disorders that may require treatment. Mild to severe sleep apnea can be treated with lifestyle changes, medications, or a sleep study. Daytime sleepiness may also need to be addressed.

Nasal Expiratory Positive Airway Pressure (EPAP)

Sleep Apnea is a common sleep disorder that can lead to loud snoring, difficulty falling asleep, and pauses in breathing. Risk factors include untreated and undiagnosed Sleep Apnea, high blood pressure, and being overweight. Mild Obstructive Sleep Apnea can be treated with EPAP valves, which are inserted into or over the nostrils during sleep, and limit exhalations to maintain air pressure and keep the airway open.

Unlike CPAP machines, EPAP valves do not require electrical outlets or batteries. If left untreated, Sleep Apnea can lead to more serious conditions, such as Hypertension, Heart Disease, and Treatment of Emergent Central Sleep Apnea. It is important to diagnose and treat Sleep Apnea in order to reduce the risk factors.

Oral Appliance

People with mild obstructive sleep apnea can develop symptoms such as loud snoring, pauses in breathing, and difficulty falling asleep. Sleep apnea can occur when the air pressure in the upper airway becomes too low, allowing the airway to collapse and stop breathing.

Untreated sleep apnea can lead to serious health risks including high blood pressure and heart problems. Positive airway pressure (PAP) therapy is the most common treatment for sleep apnea, which helps keep the airway open and reduces the risk of further health problems.

Treatment-Emergent Central Sleep Apnea (ECSA) is a therapy using disposable or reusable valves inserted into or over the nostrils during sleep. The valves limit exhalations, maintaining air pressure and keeping the airway open. Unlike a CPAP machine, EPAP valves do not require power from an electrical outlet or batteries. Diagnosing and treating sleep apnea can reduce the risk factors associated with sleep-disordered breathing.

Tongue Retaining Device

People with mild obstructive sleep apnea may fall asleep easily but stop breathing during sleep due to the risk factors associated with sleep-disordered breathing. Obstructive sleep apnea can lead to high blood pressure and other medical issues if left untreated.

Loud snoring and pauses in breathing are two of the main signs that a person may develop sleep apnea. Undiagnosed sleep apnea can lead to serious consequences, so it is important to diagnose and treat it.

Positive airway pressure is a common treatment for sleep apnea, as it helps to keep the air pressure in the airway at a comfortable level. Emergent central sleep apnea is a rarer form of sleep apnea, but it can also be treated effectively.

Neuromuscular Tongue Muscle Stimulator

A neuromuscular tongue muscle stimulator is a device used to treat sleep apnea and other sleep disorders. It is prescribed by a sleep specialist and should be used for 20 minutes each day while awake.

The device sends mild electrical currents to the tongue muscle, strengthening it so that it doesn’t relax and block the airway as much during sleep. Obstructive sleep apnea and central sleep apnea are the two most common types of sleep apnea. Symptoms of sleep apnea include daytime sleepiness, snoring, and pauses in breathing.

People with mild, moderate, and severe obstructive sleep apnoea may benefit from continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) and other treatments. All forms of sleep apnea can be successfully treated.