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Trouble Sleeping?- Maybe You Two Should Sleep in Separate Beds!

I am not kidding here—a new study came out suggesting that couples who have trouble sleeping and who sleep in the same bed may get better sleep if they sleep in separate beds. Apparently around 25 percent of U.S. couples sleep in different beds or rooms, according to the National Sleep Foundation. This is no [...]

Night Shift Workers–Health Risks of Poor Sleep

It’s estimated that at least 20% of the workforce in the USA and in Europe work the so-called graveyard shift, either as their primary shift, or at least more than half of the time—that includes yours truly. A new study has confirmed what was suspected by many—that night shift workers face significant health risks, and [...]

Sleep Apnea Cure And Solutions

CPAP Sleep Apnea Cure

Though often ignored and underestimated, sleep apnea can indeed lead to improper sleep, restlessness and headaches that can be quite detrimental to your health, and hence it is extremely important to find out effective sleep apnea cures that suits you and ensures you get a trouble free good nights rest.

Sleep apnea hardly has much to do with the functioning of your body, and as a result the sleep apnea cures that are often suggested by doctors and specialists are quite simple to use and can often be carried out from home, and that too quite frequently. The sleep apnea cure for you will depend on the severity of your condition, and hence it is advisable to visit a doctor, who would be the best judge of your disorder and hence can suggest the appropriate sleep apnea cure.

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Main Types Of Sleep Apnea Surgery

Sleep Apnea Surgery

Though sleep apnea surgery is the last treatment option that doctors resort to, at times it is necessary and essential to cure the disorder. Sleep apnea surgery is mostly done to treat obstructive sleep apnea, as this type of apnea relates to a physical problem that a surgery can treat effectively.

Obstructive sleep apnea occurs due to upper airway obstruction while one is sleeping, hence if other options such as the continuous positive airway pressure machine isn’t helping, sleep apnea surgery can be used to remove the soft tissues at the back of throat that collapse while one is asleep, and as a result increase the airway passage; or by expanding the jaw structure in a manner that it no loner restricts the breathing process.

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Sleep Apnea Solutions

Sleep Apnea Solutions - CPAP masks and pillows
Sleep Apnea Solutions - CPAP masks and pillows

Sleep Apnea CPAP mask

Sleep apnea can cause high levels of irritation, head aches and continuously prevent from you getting complete sleep at night, therefore to avoid seriously affecting your health it is important to search for and explore sleep apnea solutions and settle for one that suits you most.

Seeing as sleep apnea is a clinical condition and has little to do with the functioning of your body, most sleep apnea solutions can be applied at home to be carried out on a regular basis, instead of having medicines. As there are various sleep apnea solutions available, your doctor will always advise you on one that will be most effective in your case and that solution is highly recommended on a basis of priority as sleep apnea solution methods depend mostly on the severity and the exhibited symptoms.

Simple sleep apnea solutions

 

Before looking into more complicated procedures such as surgery or the usage of a device, doctors try and prescribe simple and common methods as possible. One such sleep apnea solution is using a sleep apnea pillow. This is mostly carried out in relatively milder cases, where one may want to consider these special pillows, which are effective and affordable. These pillows focus on keeping the neck and spine in proper alignment for the air passage to be open and accessible. Using these pillows, if prescribed, is the easiest sleep apnea solution available.

Sleep apnea solutions  – CPAP and MAD

 

Another sleep apnea solution for milder cases is the use of mouth guards such as the Mandibular Advancement Device (MAD). These are guards that fit into your mouth easily, holding the bottom jaw open in a relaxed position, while also pushing the tongue away, keeping the airway open as much as possible, allowing unobstructed breathing. Another device that is used as a sleep apnea solution, but for moderate and sever cases, is continuous positive air pressure (CPAP) device. In this case there is a fan that blows in air through tubes into your mouth through a mask you will be wearing, the pressure keeping your air passage constantly unobstructed. Further variations on mask therapy include variable positive airway pressure (VPAP) and automatic positive airway pressure (APAP), both of which are variations of the CPAP but not as effective. Though naturally resistant at first with the idea of sleeping with a mask on, most patients find that the effect it has on their sleep is indeed worth the cumbersome effort made.

Lastly the most serious and extensive sleep apnea solution is surgery. If and when all other sleep apnea solutions fail to have a desired effect, or if the case is too serious to start with, doctors agree to a surgical procedure to cure the problem. Most people look to avoid surgery and find that it is too big a procedure for snoring and interrupted sleep, however, one must keep in mind that doctors prescribe a surgery only when it is most needed and no other sleep apnea solution is appropriate enough. Not curing apnea of such severity can lead to various other health problems and even cause high blood pressure and strokes.

Having considered the nature of your sleep apnea and it’s severity, it shouldn’t be to hard to choose from any of the afore mentioned sleep apnea solutions.

What Causes Sleep Apnea?

Sleep Apnea Causes in Adults
Sleep Apnea Causes in Adults

WARNING: Sleep apnea causes are important to recognize early.

Sleep apnea is a condition which affects the way one breathes when you’re sleeping, and it’s important to know sleep apnea causes to prevent it from worsening. It is the reduction (by 25%) or the pause of air flow while you breathe during sleep. These pauses usually last for about 10-20 seconds and occur repeatedly through the night. When apnea occurs, it usually disrupts sleep and prevents you from getting good sleep due to the reduced amount of oxygen in your blood. Once sleep apnea causes are correctly  diagnosed it is much easier to treat and deal with.

A serious cause of sleep apnea can often lead to high blood pressure, stroke, insomnia and mood swings. Sleep apnea often goes unrecognised and hence remains untreated, posing a threat to your health. Therefore to be able to treat it well, it is important to learn the sleep apnea causes.

There are generally 3 types of sleep apnea, each with differing symptoms, sleep apnea causes and results.

Obstructive Sleep Apnea Causes

This is the most common type of sleep apnea, this occurs when the muscles on the back of your throat are trying to breathe but are unable to due obstruction of the airway, preventing proper air flow and thereby as a result of dropping oxygen levels you wake up to draw a sharp breathe. The main obstructive sleep apnea cause is when the airway in an individual is narrower than normal, when you lie flat the throat muscles relax and fall back obstructing the airway. People with obstructive sleep apnea mostly don’t remember the interruptions and in fact believe they slept well all night.

Central Sleep Apnea Causes

This second type is when the brain fails to instruct the muscles at the back of the throat to breathe and hence no action to take a breath is taken. This form is most rare and people with central sleep apnea rarely ever snore. This type of sleep apnea is usually seen in infants or adults with heart or cerebrovascular disease, it can however also be caused by medicines and high altitude. In infants or adults with the afore mentioned diseases, when there is a long term increase of carbon dioxide in the blood, the brain ignores the oxygen level and monitors only the blood carbon dioxide level, thereby determining the next breath. In doing this the control of breathing slows, the body is trying to exhale more than inhale and the rate of breathing hence decreases. Judging by the central sleep apnea causes, it can be diagnosed with a sleep study or through a overnight monitor.

Combination/Mixed Sleep Apnea Causes

Combination/Mixed Sleep Apnea is caused by combination of Obstructive Sleep Apnea causes and Central Sleep Apnea causes. When both occur alternatively or even sparsely in the same night it is called combination sleep apnea. This kind of sleep apnea occurs when there is an obstruction in the upper airway, similar to the obstructive sleep apnea cause. In addition there is also a problem with the rhythm of breathing in and out and the lapse of effort breathing from time to time.

Having studied sleep apnea causes and diagnosed the type, it is much easier to treat and deal with.