Sleep apnea is possibly the commonest of all sleep disorders and affects around 18,000,000 Americans. A sleeping disorder characterized by broken breathing while sleeping, sleep apnea is also without question the most dangerous of sleeping disorders as it deprives the brain of crucial oxygen and can occasionally prove fatal.
There are two totally different types of sleep apnea. Central sleep apnea is in essence a neurological condition in which breathing is broken as a result of signals sent out by the brain. Obstructive sleep apnea is in essence a mechanical problem in which the windpipe is obstructed either by excessive tissue or as a result of the unusual relaxation or collapse of the muscles in and around the windpipe. In either case however the results are effectively the same with repeated interruptions to the breathing which deprive the brain of oxygen and put sufferers at heightened risk from things like high blood pressure, heart attack and stroke.
Regrettably, diagnosing sleep apnea can prove to be a problem as snoring, which is a common symptom and often leads to sleep apnea being called the snoring disease, is also seen as a symptom of a variety of other medical problems. Snoring is certainly usually seen in cases of sleep apnea as the brain reacts to a lack of oxygen by awakening the sufferer enough to restart breathing and this often causes snoring.
This repeated awakening throughout the night also results in a very poor quality of sleep and it is not at all uncommon for sufferers to wake up in the morning feeling more tired than when they went to bed. This also produces feelings of exhaustion during the course of the day and a great desire to sleep.
But, tiredness arising from poor quality sleep is just part of the problem and a range of other symptoms will also generally be seen including morning headaches, forgetfulness and a difficulty in maintaining concentration.
Left untreated the mounting exhaustion from sleep apnea can cause significant psychological problems beginning with touchiness and progressing to depression with obvious changes in mood and behavior.
Both central sleep apnea and obstructive sleep apnea can be treated and, providing the condition is diagnosed early enough, this treatment is often fairly simple. For example, a minor case of obstructive sleep apnea arising out of nasal congestion can often be treated with little more than a course of decongestants. Also, a lot of cases of sleep apnea which are not especially serious can be treated using a mask which is worn while sleeping and which delivers a constant pressure of air to keep the airway open. Lastly, in the most serious cases surgery might be needed and can be very effective, although it can also lead to a variety of complications and must be approached with care.
Possibly the most important thing to bear in mind with sleep apnea is that because it carries the potentially fatal risk of respiratory failure sufferers should not be tempted to use sleeping pills or to use other types of sleep enhancers without the approval of a doctor.
Natural sleep remedies without question provide an effective complement to prescribed medication and herbal remedies that are designed to improve the duration and quality of sleep may well be helpful in managing the excessive daytime sleepiness normally brought on by sleep apnea. Similarly, things like aromatherapy, chromatherapy and guided relaxation and meditation will help to reduce the anxiety and insomnia which come with sleep apnea.