Your-Mind-and-Body

Are you plagued by tiredness? Do others say you snore? Are you at least slightly overweight? If so, you could have sleep apnea.

If these are all true for you, waste no time in having your doctor prescribe a sleep study. If you do have sleep apnea, it can shorten your life. And there is treatment! Those who have sleep apnea hold their breaths many times a night, gasping for air. Sleep apnea means higher risk of cardiovascular disease such as stroke, heart attack, and aneurism.

Here is what happens in sleep apnea: the airway collapses when you breathe in. Fatty tissue lining the airway makes the airway less elastic. So sleep apnea is a condition caused by overweight, generally speaking. Snoring typically accompanies it.

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.

The spiking blood pressure is what wears out the cardiovascular system. The semi-conscious effort is what deprives you of sleep.

Oddly enough, you may not even be aware that you hold your breath while sleeping. Only the telltale tiredness will tip you off that you are in fact sleep-deprived.

Studies show that the spiking blood pressure countless times per night correlates wtih increased risk of cardiovascular disease. This condition, in fact, can kill you.

There’s treatment?

Effective treatment comes through a system that supplies mild air pressure to your nose and mouth as you sleep. This continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) system consists of a fan inside a box, a hose, and a mask. The fan pressurizes the air, delivered through the hose and mask to the nose and mouth. The pressurized air keeps your airway open as you breathe in, and isn’t enough to prevent you from exhaling.

One downside is that the mask can be uncomfortable. But a variety of suppliers offer options now, one of which will probably fit your face.

The CPAP might limit your activities, too, because you always have to wear it, even if you are traveling or camping.

The fan makes a noise, but it’s a white noise that may actually help you fall asleep.

Let’s stack benefits against drawbacks. Without treatment, you risk early death. With it, you have to wear a mask when you sleep and locate an electric outlet. Which do you choose?

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This entry was posted on Thursday, July 17th, 2008 at 2:48 am and is filed under Weight Loss. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.