As we fall asleep our muscles relax. The deeper the sleep, the more relaxed the muscles become. The tissues surrounding our airway e.g., the tongue, can sag into, narrow, and even block the airway, thereby disturbing the flow of oxygen to our lungs. We try to breathe but the more we try the tighter the closure becomes. Eventually the brain wakes us to a shallower level of sleep, repositioning our jaw and tongue and opening the airway. We then fall back into a deeper sleep and repeat the process. This cycle can recur many times during the night.
It results in disturbed sleep, oxygen depravation, and activation of our neurological and hormonal response to our inability to breathe. Our sleep becomes converted from a time of rest and repair to a time of stress and damage. Snoring, as well, is a result of a narrowing of the passage way and therefore many times is found together with sleep apnea and other related sleeping disorders. Sleep apnea can affect men and women, young and old, overweight and thin.
If left untreated, sleep apnea may lead to and aggravate many chronic conditions such as high blood pressure, heart disease and diabetes. A strong relationship has been shown between these types of breathing disorders and chronic fatigue, daytime sleepiness, morning headaches, stroke, depression, Alzheimer's, trouble concentrating, weight gain, lowered testosterone, and even cancer. For example, people with untreated sleep apnea are four times more likely to have a stroke than those without sleep apnea.
Based on your complaints, family history, and/or your medical history, your physician may suggest a sleep test. The test is not invasive. It is analogous to having your blood pressure taken except that different data is needed and is collected overnight.
A patients guide to Sleep Apnea, snoring & sleep related breathing disorders. Sweet dreams can become a reality again!
