SLEEP APNEA

OBSTRUCTIVE SLEEP APNEA

from the article '4 Sleep Disorders Solved'
By Stephanie Schorow, Special to Lifescript
Published April 26, 2010

Obstructive sleep apnea

What it is: It's a breathing disorder that causes loud snoring and pauses in breathing that last about 10-30 seconds, sometimes longer.

It occurs when certain airway muscles relax during sleep, causing soft tissue in the back of the throat to collapse and block the upper airway.

Apnea results in fragmented or poor quality sleep. More ominously, it’s also associated with high blood pressure, heart problems, memory problems and headaches. It may lead to poor job performance and even motor vehicle crashes among sleep-deprived drivers.

In fact, the National Transportation Safety Board has urged commercial truck and bus drivers and merchant ship pilots to be screened for the condition.

What causes sleep apnea: It can be weight-related. As weight accumulates, fatty tissue can further block the air passage, making sleep apnea worse.

According to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, about 9% of women and 24% of men have obstructive sleep apnea. Not all, however, report daytime sleepiness as a result.

As women age and go through menopause, they tend to report more sleep apnea. Weight gain and hormone changes may be the cause.

How to treat sleep apnea: Lifestyle changes, such as losing weight, avoiding alcohol and tobacco, and changing sleeping position, may help. (Apnea tends to be worse when sleeping on the back.)

More severe cases may be treated with a Continuous Positive Airways Pressure (CPAP) mask that gently blows air into the throat during sleep. The masks are considered quite effective, but wearing it can take some getting used to.

Another option: surgery to widen the breathing passages. This involves removing, shrinking or stiffening excess tissue in the throat.

MY THOUGHTS

I wonder if partners, of people with sleep apnea, get enough sleep. I'm sure it's bothersome in the beginning - just like any other habits you were not aware of.  It would take some getting used to but I know of several people who have learned to live with the sleep apnea of their partners.