Monday, July 21, 2014

Is sleep apnea harmful for health?

This article describes in what ways sleep apnea is harmful to a person's health.

Sleep apnea is a sleeping disorder that occurs when a person’s breathing is interrupted during sleep. These breathing pauses typically last between 10 to 20 seconds and can occur up to hundreds of times at night. This chronic sleep deprivation results in daytime sleepiness, slow reflexes, poor concentration, and an increased risk of accidents.
Sleep apnea can also lead to serious health problems over time, including diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, and weight gain. But with treatment you can control the symptoms, get your sleep back on track, and start enjoy being refreshed and alert every day.
Sleep apnea Symptoms:
l If pauses occur while you snore, and if choking or gasping follows the pauses, these are major signs that you have sleep apnea.
l Morning headaches
l Memory or learning problems and not being able to concentrate
l Feeling irritable, depressed, or having mood swings or personality changes
l Waking up frequently to urinate
l Dry mouth or sore throat when you wake up
Treatment of sleep apnea:
l Weight loss: People who are overweight have extra tissue in the back of their throat, which can fall down over the airway and block the flow of air into the lungs while they sleep. Losing just 10% of body weight can have a big effect on sleep apnea symptoms. In some cases, losing a significant amount of weight can even cure Sleep Apnoea.
l Quitting smoking.
l Avoiding alcohol, sleeping pills, and sedatives,
l Avoiding caffeine and heavy meals within two hours of going to bed.
l Maintaining regular sleep hours.
l Bariatric Surgery: Choosing Surgery is not a simple decision and it is not for everyone who struggles with sleep apnea. It is for individuals who have exhausted other options for treatment and have got excess weight.
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