Sleep Apnea - Symptoms and Types

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More Sleep Apnea Information

Sleep Apnea - Symptoms and Types

Health Resources

sleep problems and solutions for sleep apnea

Important Sleep Apnea Information

Diagnosing Sleep Apnea
If you have noticed a pattern of heavy snoring, shortness of breath or a choking sensation during the night, then you may have sleep apnea. Most people thing that snoring is just snoring, but it can actually be a warning sign of...more info on Sleep Apnea
Sleep Apnea – A New Treatment Option For Children
Sleep apnea is estimated to affect some two to three percent of children today (getting on for two million children in the United States alone) and is particularly seen in children between the ages of about three and six. In the vast...more info on Sleep Apnea
Sleep Apnea: A Silent Killer
Getting a good night sleep is essential for your well-being. However, many people don’t realize that they are often sleep-deprived because of breathing problems. Over 90 percent of people who snore are at risk for sleep disordered...more info on Sleep Apnea
Sleep Apnea – A Surprisingly Common Childhood Disorder
Sleep apnea, and in particular obstructive sleep apnea, is often thought to effect only overweight men from the age of about fifty onwards. In fact, while sleep apnea is perhaps most often seen in this group, it also affects a large...more info on Sleep Apnea

Sleep Apnea Treatment Foods that Aid sleep

What is the Prognosis for Sleep Apnea

How Common is Obstructive Sleep Apnea in the General Population

Alternative Health Therapies that Can Help Sleep Apnea Patients

The Work of the American Sleep Apnea Association ASAA

This information is brought to you by the fine folks at Health Issues Today. The information here is meant as a stepping stone to more in-depth diagnosis and treatment. Health Issues Today strongly recommends you contact your doctor or other health care provider if you suspect you may have sleep apnea. This is a very serious disorder and the sooner caught and treated the better. Sleep apnea isn't anything to fool around with, get professional help!

Sleep apnea is a disorder experienced by many people in our community. Some estimates put the figure as high as 10%. The symptoms of sleep apnea include loud snoring, waking up often during the night, being excessively tired, being irritable, and experiencing depression during the day. The word apnea means without rest.

One of the characteristics of people with sleep apnea is that while they are sleeping they will have periods when they stop breathing, sometimes for as long as a minute. The result of this is that the blood oxygen level falls, and the subconscious mind, which is monitoring the blood oxygen level, alerts the body and so it wakes up. Some people with sleep apnea may wake up several hundred times a night, without ever realising it.

The most common type of sleep apnea is obstructive sleep apnea, usually referred to as OSA. It happens because the throat closes completely during sleep. This happens because the suction forces that come from snoring cause the persons tongue and soft palate, to be sucked into the airway and block it. When the person wakes up, the muscles in the throat and tongue contract and the person starts to breathe again.

Another type of sleep apnea is central apnea. This happens when the brain and the nervous system are not co-ordinated in telling the body when to breathe.

Mixed apnea includes elements of both obstructive and central apnea.

About the Author

Author Tony Mcglinn runs www.sleepabc.com and www.mypowerfulmind.com. You are free to copy and use this article if it is unchanged and includes this paragraph.

Written by: Tony McGlinn

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Sleep Apnea

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