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SLEEP APNEA
Sleep Apnea is a potentially serious sleep disorder characterized by pauses in breathing or periods of shallow breathing during sleep. Each pause can last for a few seconds to a few minutes, numerous times a night.
There may be a choking or snoring sound as breathing resumes. The disorder disrupts normal sleep and sleep patterns.
CAUSES
During sleep, a person’s tongue falls back against the soft palate, and the soft palate and uvula fall against the back of the throat, therefore blocking or closing the airway.
When the sleeper expands the chest to inhale, no air enters the lungs. The condition develops more frequently among people who sleep on their back, are middle-aged or older, are overweight, are smokers, and are male. However, Sleep Apnea can affect patients of all ages, body types, and demographics.
SYMPTOMS
When left untreated, Sleep Apnea can pose a serious risk to your health. Patients with Sleep Apnea often struggle with debilitating daytime sleepiness, morning headaches, loud snoring, depression, impaired alertness and focusing, dry mouth with sore throat, and more. Over time, Sleep Apnea can give way to high blood pressure, heart disease, strokes, diabetes, and other serious, life-threatening diseases.
TREATMENT
Use of a CPAP device (continuous positive airway pressure) during sleeping can alleviate Sleep Apnea. A CPAP Device, worn like a mask, delivers just enough pressurized air to keep your air passages open. That flow of air will prevent obstruction which causes snoring and apnea.