Sleep Apnea

Sleep apnea is a very common problem. The name comes from the Greek word “apnea” which means “without breath”. Sleep apnea is a medical condition where the person stops breathing in their sleep. There are actually three different types of sleep apnea. They are obstructive, central and mixed. No matter which type it is, they are cause the person to stop breathing in their sleep, sometimes many times and often even for a whole minute at a time. This is why sleep apnea can be dangerous. Sleep apnea is as common as adult diabetes. Over 12 million Americans have it. Some risk factors of sleep apnea include being male, overweight, and over the age of forty. However, sleep apnea can strike anyone at any age, even children. There is a lack of awareness by the public and healthcare professionals so many cases remain undiagnosed and untreated even though this serious disorder can have significant consequences. When it goes untreated, sleep apnea can cause high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease, memory problems, weight gain, impotency and headaches. There may be even more diseases and conditions associated

with sleep apnea in addition to the fact that lack of sleep (or good sleep) can take a huge toll on your body. The good news is sleep apnea can be diagnosed and treated. Several treatment options exist and research is being done on more. If you are someone you love suffers from sleep apnea, you should not wait to get treatment. Untreated sleep apnea also leads to other problems like falling asleep at the wheel of a car and similar problems. There is no excuse for not seeking help. If you or someone you love has severe snoring, you might also want to have them checked for sleep apnea. Snoring is not “just snoring” and you may be having problems breathing at night and not even know it.