So, what is Sleep Apnea?

Sleep apnea is a serious, potentially life-threatening condition that is far more common than generally understood. First described in 1965, sleep apnea is a breathing disorder characterized by brief interruptions of breathing during sleep. It owes its name to a Greek word, apnea, meaning “want of breath.” In a given night, the number of involuntary breathing pauses or “apneic events” may be as high as 20 to 60 or more per hour. These breathing pauses are almost always accompanied by snoring between apnea episodes, although not everyone who snores has this condition. Sleep apnea can also be characterized by gasping or choking sensations. When breathing stops, the sleeper is awakened just enough to inhale and resume breathing, often without being aware of the sleep disruption. Early recognition and treatment of sleep apnea is important because it may be associated with irregular heartbeat, high blood pressure, heart attack, and stroke.

What are the types of sleep apnea?

There are three types of sleep apnea:

Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA): Obstructive Sleep Apnea is the most common type of sleep apnea. OSA is caused by an obstruction in the airway, which actually stops the air flow in the nose and mouth. Throat and abdominal breathing continue normally. Obstructive Sleep Apnea is commonly accompanied by snoring and causes the sleeper to wake up, gasping or snorting, and then go back to sleep again.

Central Sleep Apnea (CSA): Central Sleep Apnea is a much less common type than Obstructive Sleep Apnea. Central Sleep Apnea is due to a brain signal problem: the brain signal that instructs the body to breathe is delayed. With CSA, oral breathing and throat and abdominal breathing all cease at the same time. The periods of breathing interruption may last a few seconds, and breathing may be too shallow to provide oxygen to the blood and tissues. Central sleep apnea may be associated with irregular heartbeat, high blood pressure, heart attack, and/or stroke.

Mixed sleep apnea: When individuals experience a combination of the two other types of sleep apnea, Obstructive Sleep Apnea and Central Sleep Apnea, they have mixed sleep apnea.

Here are some of the signs that you probably have Sleep Apnea:

* Frequent cessation of breathing (apnea) during sleep. Your sleep partner may notice repeated silences from your side of the bed.
* Choking, gasping, or gagging during sleep to get air into the lungs
* Loud snoring
* Waking up sweating during the night
* Feeling unrefreshed in the morning after a night’s sleep
* Headaches upon awakening
* Daytime sleepiness, including falling asleep at inappropriate times, such as during driving or at work
* Lethargy
* Rapid weight gain
* Memory loss and learning difficulties
* Short attention span
* Poor judgment
* Depression
* Personality changes
* Sexual Dysfunction

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Here are some frightening facts about this disease:

1. It is estimated that at least 40,000,000 people have some form of sleep apnea (1 in 5 adults).

2. The Black American community is one of the most underdignosed groups of people with this disease!
Blacks have the highest percentage of Sleep Apnea.

3. If you snore loud, and your mate sleeps in another room because of it, you likely have sleep apnea.

Links to resource pages that address Sleep Apnea

Pastor Harley Howard's personal story of the horrors of living with Sleep Apnea

Sleep Apnea Info.com

American Sleep Apnea Association

American Sleep Apnea Association Forum

St. John's Medical Plaza Sleep Disorders Center, Santa Monica California

ResMed - Sleep Disordered Breathing

 

My own personal story of Obstructive Sleep Apnea was seen
on the following TV Programs

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PBS Second Edition

Discovery Health Channel - Mystery ER