How To Know The Symptoms Of Sleep Apnea In Adults
As humans, we work during the day and after the busy day, we rest at night. However, not everyone enjoys a good night’s sleep. Some people don’t stay awake at night because they have work to do at night, it is because some of them have issues with sleeping. This brings us to the question, “what is sleep apnea?”..
Sleep apnea is a sleep disorder that is caused by a person’s unstable breathing habits while they are asleep. When a person has sleep apnea, their breathing becomes irregular. Some people’s breathing stops for 10 seconds or even more while there asleep. When the breathing stops at intervals, it causes reduces the supply of oxygen to the brain and other body organs. This is what interrupts a person’s sleep at night. If sleep apnea is left untreated for too long, it can cause severe sleeping problems and other overall health problems.
Sleep apnea can vary in different types. They are:
Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA): This type of sleep disorder occurs when the airways are blocked. This allows breathing to stop at intervals when a person is asleep. OSA is caused when the soft tissue that is located at the tip of the throat doesn’t open up for air to go in. When this happens the brain observes the breathing abnormality and wakes the person up briefly to make the person open his or her airways for oxygen to be supplied to the body organs. Most people don’t even notice this brief awakening. When this happens continually, the person’s sleep is disturbed. This type of sleep apnea is the most popular.
Central Sleep Apnea (CSA): This type of sleep apnea happens when the brain fails to signal the muscles responsible for breathing. Unlike OSA where the fluffy tissue at the tip of the throat fails to open up, CSA occurs when the fluffy tissue at the tip of the throat doesn’t get the message from the brain that it needs to open up even though it can open up for air to come in. The person might wake up and begin to gasp for more air. CSA could also be a sign that the person has serious underlying health problems.
What Causes Sleep Apnea?
Sleep apnea can affect adults and children. However, this disorder is more common in adults. Men suffer from sleep apnea than women. There are various reasons why a person can suffer from sleep apnea. People who are overweight are at high risk of suffering from sleep apnea, especially obstructive sleep apnea. Also, sleep apnea can be caused by genetics. Those who have a family history of sleep apnea are at risk of suffering from this sleep disorder. Other causes include medical conditions, a slim throat, hypothyroidism, allergies, acromegaly, shifted septum, smoking, intake of liquors, and drug abuse.
What are the symptoms of sleep apnea in adults?
Sleep apnea symptoms can differ in adults and children. People who are affected by the sleep disorder hardly know about it. It is the person that sleeps close to them that can observe these signs. In adults, sleep apnea symptoms can be loud snoring, depression, insomnia, migraine, shortness of breath, fatigue (during the day), loss of vitality or stamina. People who suffer from sleep apnea are not supposed to drive or handle heavy tasks that include the use of machines.
Sleep Apnea Treatment for Adults
To get treatments for sleep apnea, you should see a sleep therapist or specialist that can examine you and study your sleep pattern by asking questions. Also, you might be asked to quit some lifestyle activities that contribute to your sleep disorder like smoking and alcohol. If you’re overweight, you might need to go on a diet. The sleep therapist will ask that your sleep partner helps with the treatment causes only those around you can observe the improvement of your treatment. The sleep therapist can also provide you with devices that can open up the airways while you sleep.