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Do You Fall Asleep During the Day?

By: Susan Harris
 

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

If you meet these criteria, have your doctor prescribe a sleep study for you. Don't wait! Your life could be shortened by sleep apnea, and it's all unnecessary -- there's treatment. If you have sleep apnea, you hold your breath and then gasp for air many times a night. It results in increased risk of stroke, heart attack, and other cardiovascular disease including 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.

After the airway closes, the oxygen level in the blood drops. Blood pressure shoots up. The sleeper struggles to breathe and begins to wake up. Returning to consciousness, the sleeper opens the airway, and the breath is completed. The sleeper falls back to sleep. The cycle begins again, perhaps many times per minute. Breath cessation for 10 seconds will bring you a diagnosis of sleep apnea.

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

The fact that you are holding your breath may come as a surprise to you. It's the constant tiredness that will be obvious.

The spiking blood pressure many times each night will bring you closer to heart attack or stroke.

So, what can you do about it?

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.

What about fan noise? It's actually a white noise, which may help you fall asleep.

So, do a quick risk analysis. Is the risk of early death worth the inconvenience of wearing a mask and finding an electric outlet whenever you fall asleep?

Article Source: Main Articles

Writer Susan Harris is happy to tell you all about sleep apnea and its treatment, the CPAP sleep apnea machine. Check out her Internet site for plenty of information to help you see how it functions and select the right one for you.

This article may be reproduced wholly or in part without written permission provided the byline, resource area, and any hyperlinks remain in order to give proper credit to the author.

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