Sleep apnea means episodes of cessation of breathing during night time sleep that can occur as often as several hundred times in a night. Snoring is a warning that the sleeper may be a victim of sleep apnea.
OBSTRUCTIVE SLEEP APNEA
SYMPTOMS- Loud snoring. This can indicate breathing problems or blocked air passages.
- Cessation of breathing or choking spells in the night. In severe cases, this can occur over fifty times an hour with each hundreds of times a night with each one lasting as long as ten seconds.
- Excessive daytime sleepiness. Sleep apnea causes sleep deprivation. Daytime sleepiness can become so excessive that working becomes impossible and driving is dangerous.
- Frequent visits to the bathroom during the night.
- Severe mood swings from depression to irritability to anger.
- Obesity In many cases. Although some slim people do suffer from sleep apnea the majority are overweight or obese.
- Low sex drive and a general lack of energy.
- Dry mouth and sore throat in the morning from sleeping with the mouth open, snoring and gasping for air.
- Lack of concentration and forgetfulness from sleep deprivation.
- Morning headaches
CAUSES
- Obesity which causes flabby fat deposits in the throat area that can block the air passages.
- Enlarged tonsils and adenoids that block air passages.
- Deformed or too large uvula. This is the fleshy lobe at the back of the throat. Abnormality of the soft palate or roof of the mouth.
- Too large or thick tongue.
- Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease or heartburn, when the stomach acid sometimes moves up into the esophagus Stomach acid can produce spasms in the larynx that can block the flow of air to and from the lungs.
