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Who Suffers from Sleep Apnea and What Can be Done About It?
Sleep apnea is a serious medical problem. Those who suffer from the cessation of breathing can experience what is referred to as "apneic events" anywhere from ten to thirty seconds each time it happens. Those who suffer from severe sleep apnea can go as much as sixty seconds without breathing until it resumes normally. These episodes can range anywhere from a few each night all the way up to four hundred. Many people are repeatedly awakened from their deep REM sleep due to sleep apnea while others with milder cases are not even aware that they suffer from it until a spouse or family member points it out to them.
Obstructive sleep apnea is the most common form of sleep apnea and is defined as "being characterized by repetitive pauses in breathing during sleep due to the obstruction and/or collapse of the upper airway (throat), usually accompanied by a reduction in blood oxygen saturation, and followed by an awakening to breathe."
Approximately twenty million American residents are believed to suffer from obstructive sleep apnea of varying degree. Breaking this down further, nine percent of adult females and twenty-four percent of adult males suffer from it on a regular basis. An estimated six million of these individuals suffer from moderate to severe sleep apnea that requires medical assistance and sometimes even a late night visit to the emergency room. It is only in recent years that doctors and health care researchers have begun to understand the mysterious sleep disorder known as sleep apnea. It is estimated that at any given time the number of people being treated for sleep apnea is fewer than 500,000.
Sleep apnea is often more attributed to men than women and is more common in obese people as opposed to skinny or fit individuals. Those who snore on a regular basis have a tendency to develop sleep apnea as snoring often leads to more serious medical conditions affecting the upper airways. A recent study has shown a definite link between snoring and obstructive sleep apnea. The study showed that one in three males and one in every five females who snore consistently experience obstructive sleep apnea to varying degrees.
Obstructive sleep apnea can range from mild to moderate to severe. For those with mild to moderate cases, doctors often suggest as a first step, making lifestyle changes to help control the problem. Some of these changes include losing weight, quitting smoking and not consuming alcohol or sedatives right before bedtime, altering one's sleeping habits and using nasal strips.
Obesity plays almost as big a role in the development of sleep apnea as habitual snoring. Losing weight can be a start to controlling the occurrence of sleep apnea. Smoking can make a case of sleep apnea worse and therefore an effort should be made on the patient's part to beat the habit. All alcoholic beverages should be avoided at least four to five hours before bedtime and no tranquilizers or sleeping pills should be taken. All of these substances contribute to a worsening of the health condition as the tissues of the throat often sag in response to the consumption of them and breathing becomes restricted. Episodes of sleep apnea can be decreased by sleeping on one's side instead of on one's back and by using one pillow instead of two. Nasal strips that can be purchased over-the-counter (such as Breathe Right) can be beneficial in opening up the nasal passages for some individuals.
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