Understanding Sleep Apnea Is Your First Step Towards Seeking Effective Treatment

From: Stephanie Pearce
Date:

Dear Reader, Sleep Apnea is one of the most commonly known sleep disorders effecting 1 in every 4 adults worldwide. More alarming is that over 95% of sufferers are unaware they even have sleep apnea, and the condition may exist for many years before an individual is diagnosed and seeks treatment. The Sleep Apnea Survival Guide provides practical information and advice on the primary symptoms, leading causes, and most effective treatments available for this common sleep disorder. The guide also provides a symptoms checklist, and outlines the recommended sleep practitioners to contact for advice in all major capital cities throughout Australia.

What Is Sleep Apnea?

Sleep Apnea is defined as a sleep disorder associated with abnormal pauses in breathing, or unusually shallow breathing during sleep. Each pause in breath generally lasts 10-20 seconds, and cessation of breath can occur more than 30 times an hour. Sleep Apnea is a very serious sleep disorder, and is responsible for many premature deaths.
Aside from leading a poor quality of life, if left untreated, sleep apnea can ultimately lead to high blood pressure, heart attack and stroke.

There are three main classifications of sleep apnea - Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA), Central Sleep Apnea (CSA),
and Complex/Mixed Sleep Apnea. In order to accurately determine the classification of sleep apnea for each individual, a sleep study is required. A sleep study measures brain activity, eye movement, breathing, heart rate, and oxygen levels in the blood. It is a simple, non-invasive overnight test which is performed by a qualified sleep specialist, either in a hospital or the comfort of your own home.

It is important to diagnose sleep apnea as early as possible, and seek effective treatment before complications arise.

What Causes Sleep Apnea?

In many cases sleep apnea is the result of certain lifestyle choices. Two major contributing factors to sleep apnea are smoking and being overweight. With obesity rates increasing worldwide, more and more people are developing sleep apnea as a result. Research reveals that sleep apnea is more common in men, however women and even children are still prone to suffer the disorder.

If you're male, over the age of 40, and overweight, you are in a high risk category for sleep apnea. It is possible you may have already developed sleep apnea, and simply not be aware of it. Sleep apnea can also be hereditary, so check with your family members as to whether there is a history with current or past relatives. Others who are also at risk are those who snore loudly, who are obese, those with high blood pressure, and people who naturally have a narrow airway passage.

What Are The Sleep Apnea Symptoms?

Primary sleep apnea symptoms include loud snoring, restless sleep, and frequent gasping or waking during sleep. Other symptoms of sleep apnea can easily be overlooked, and are often attributed to other causes. These symptoms include a lack of concentration or sleeplessness during the day, mood swings, morning headaches, dryness of the mouth & throat, and frequent urination during the night.

If you often feel fatigued during the day, or wake in the mornings feeling tired and un-refreshed, this is a good indication that you may be suffering from sleep apnea. If you are a heavy or chronic snorer, and experience periods of waking in the middle of the night at a loss for breath, this is a clear indication of the presence of sleep apnea.

Correctly diagnosing the condition medically requires an overnight sleep study (known as a Polysomnogram), and this can only be performed by a qualified sleep specialist. If you believe yourself or a loved one may be experiencing sleep apnea, it is important that you seek professional medical advice from a sleep specialist as soon as possible.

What Sleep Apnea Treatments Are Available?

The most basic treatments for sleep apnea are associated with lifestyle changes, such as avoiding alcohol, quitting smoking, losing weight, increasing exercise and changing sleep positions. Although making these adjustments to your everyday routine will lead to a healthier life, this will only provide reduced symptoms and moderate relief, and will not cure you of sleep apnea.

CPAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure) is the most common form of treatment for sleep apnea, and is regularly used to manage the disorder. The CPAP system uses a mask and small air compressor to provide a constant, pressurised airflow to the sufferers airway while they sleep. CPAP is very effective in reducing sleep apnea symptoms, although some people find using the device uncomfortable, and the constant airflow can often cause throat dryness.

An alternative to CPAP is a jaw supporter strap, which is used to bring the lower jaw forward helping to keep the airway open and unobstructed. Once again, not everyone would find using a jaw supporter strap comfortable, however results show that the device can be effective in alleviating symptoms.

Another common sleep apnea treatment is the sleep apnea pillow. These pillows are specifically designed to reduce breathing obstruction, and are angled and contoured to keep the head and neck in correct alignment. This type of positional therapy is most often used to treat Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA).

 

Sleep Apnea is a serious sleep disorder, and a condition that simply cannot be ignored. The Sleep Apnea Survival Guide has been developed to provide you with detailed practical information, advice, and guidance, as well as outline the necessary steps you need to take to effectively seek medical diagnosis and treatment.

Avoid long term health problems, and enjoy a better quality of life by understanding and treating your sleep apnea with the help of The Sleep Apnea Survival Guide - Australia's most recommended sleep apnea resource publication.

To Your Long Term Health & Improved Sleep,

NOTE: The Sleep Apnea Survival Guide contains a comprehensive symptoms checklist that you can use to determine your specific circumstances.

NOTE: For easy reference, The Sleep Apnea Survival Guide provides contact details for the preferred sleep specialist in your area.

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