Sleep Apnea Definition and Treatment

Sleep apnea is a serious sleep disorder that occurs when a person’s breathing is interrupted during sleep. People with untreated sleep apnea stop breathing repeatedly during their sleep, sometimes hundreds of times.

Sleep apnea is defined as a reduction or cessation of breathing during sleep. The three types of sleep apnea are central apnea, obstructive apnea, and a mixture of central and obstructive apnea. Central sleep apnea is caused by a failure of the brain to activate the muscles of breathing during sleep. Obstructive sleep apnea is caused by the collapse of the airway during sleep. Obstructive sleep apnea is diagnosed and evaluated through patient history, physical examination and polysomnography.

There are two types of sleep apnea:

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA): The more common of the two forms of apnea, it is caused by a blockage of the airway, usually when the soft tissue in the back of the throat collapses during sleep. Central sleep apnea: Unlike OSA, the airway is not blocked but the brain fails to signal the muscles to breathe due to instability in the respiratory control center.

Sleep apnea can be diagnosed at a clinic specializing in a sleep study called a polysomnogram. However, many people have this problem and the worrying symptoms that go with it, without knowing they actually have a sleep disorder. Sleep apnea may be brought to light when a sleeping partner becomes concerned about the pauses in breathing or complains about his or her loud snoring.

Older obese men seem to be at higher risk, though as many as 40% of people with obstructive sleep apnea are not obese. Nasal obstruction, a large tongue, a narrow airway and certain shapes of the palate and jaw seem also to increase the risk. A large neck or collar size is strongly associated with obstructive sleep apnea. Ingestion of alcohol or sedatives before sleep may predispose to episodes of apnea.

In the most common form of the condition – obstructive apnea (also called upper airway apnea) – air stops flowing through the nose and mouth, but throat and abdominal breathing efforts are uninterrupted. The snoring that results is produced when the upper rear of the mouth (the soft palate and the cone-shaped tissue – the uvula – that descends from it) relaxes and vibrates as air passes in and out.

Treatment

To treat sleep apnea, your doctor will recommend you to stop drinking alcohol, smoke, and taking sleep medicines. All these things relax your throat muscles that can cause obstruction in breathing. Your doctor may also advice you to lose weight if you are overweight and sleep on your side instead flat on your back.

Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP). If you have moderate to severe sleep apnea, you may benefit from a machine that delivers air pressure through a mask placed over your nose while you sleep. With CPAP (SEE-pap), the air pressure is somewhat greater than that of the surrounding air, and is just enough to keep your upper airway passages open, preventing apnea and snoring.Although CPAP is a preferred method of treating sleep apnea, some people find it cumbersome or uncomfortable.

Stop Snoring By Knowing It’s Causes

Snoring is a very common problem and it can be especially trying for couples or people who share rooms. Very loud snorers can even prove to be a problem to other people several rooms away.

However, there are several options that can be tried out with a view to stop snoring.

One of the biggest reasons that cause snoring is a wrong sleeping position. So perhaps all you need to do is change your sleeping position and it might be an instant cure. According to studies the rate of snoring among people who sleep on their back is higher than those who do not.

Head elevation is another factor that plays a part in snoring. So try elevating your head by a few more inches with the use a second pillow.

Many people are unaware of the fact that secondary conditions, like obesity for example, can also affect snoring. If you are overweight and you have a snoring problem then you should consider reducing a bit. Weight loss has proven to be a good preventative measure for many people. Though merely thinking of weight loss can make people tired in reality, it is not that difficult. All one needs is a good program that includes a diet chart prepared by a dietician or nutritionist combined with an exercise routine. Follow the routine to lose those extra pounds. Your snoring might go away.

Allergies are another cause of snoring. If you know or suspect that you have allergies to airborne substances then install air filtration units. In addition, follow means that lead to the removal of dust, pet hair, cigarette smoke, etc. and which help to keep the air in your environment clean. Clean air will help with whatever allergies you have and reduce or stop snoring.

If nothing works, or works in a limited way, and you are not satisfied with the results of the above few examples, one option remains open for you. That is the purchasing of an anti-snoring device.

Anti-snoring devices provide comfortable support for the jaw while keeping the mouth closed and thereby preventing snoring. Snoring is impossible with a closed mouth even though sometimes the sound seems to come out of the nose.

Please note that all the information that has just been provided to you has been in good faith and based on personal or anecdotal experience. This is not professional medical advice. These tips are merely meant as starting points that you can try but as always with all remedies, it is best to consult your doctor.

Alternative Medicines – Treatment for Infectious Diseases

An infectious disease is a disease or sickness that happens when an organism (a living thing such as a plant or animal) is attacked by a pathogen. Pathogens (such as bacteria, viruses, and other germs) are too small to see. Some infectious diseases are contagious, which means that the sick plant, animal, or person can get other things sick. The pathogen can get from one organism to another through air, food, water, blood, or physical touch. Usually, the sick organism heals.

Alternative medical systems are built upon complete systems of theory and practice. Often, these systems have evolved apart from and earlier than the conventional medical approach used in the United States. Examples of alternative medical systems that have developed in Western cultures include homeopathic medicine and naturopathic medicine. Examples of systems that have developed in non-Western cultures include traditional Chinese medicine and Ayurveda.

Hepatitis C is a disease of the liver that is caused by the hepatitis C virus. The disease occurs in acute and chronic forms; symptoms can range from mild (or even no symptoms) to severe. There are conventional medical treatments available for hepatitis C, but some patients also try complementary and alternative medicine (CAM)A group of diverse medical and health care systems, practices, and products that are not presently considered to be part of conventional medicine. Complementary medicine is used together with conventional medicine, and alternative medicine is used in place of conventional medicine.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic disease that affects the joints, often those in a person’s wrists, fingers, and feet. The common symptoms of RA are pain, stiffness, fatigue, sleep disturbances, and fever. There are treatments for RA in conventional medicineMedicine as practiced by holders of M.D. (medical doctor) or D.O. (doctor of osteopathy) degrees and by their allied health professionals such as physical therapists, psychologists, and registered nurses., but some people also try complementary and alternative medicine (CAM)A group of diverse medical and health care systems, practices, and products that are not presently considered to be part of conventional medicine.

Homeopathic treatment helps you not only for chronic diseases but also efficient in acute conditions. Homeopathic treatment helps you in the conditions (infectious diseases, epidemic conditions) which will not respond to the traditional medicines.

Disorders of the respiratory tract and otolaryngologic disorders are often listed among the most frequent cause for use of CAM therapies in published survey results. Patients using CAM therapies reported they often did not inform health care providers of their use. This information implies that CAM use should be assessed when a medical or drug history is taken.

German Measles (Rubella) is an acute viral disease whose symptoms include a slight pink rash of tiny spots, starting behind the ears or on the face and spreading down the body, and possibly watery eyes and swollen glands. A cool infusion of lavender, sponged onto the skin, should help relieve any itching. Malaria in travelers typically manifests weeks after patients leave the endemic area. Symptoms include a rash of very itchy spots, usually on the body, which then spreads to the limbs, face, and head. Try to avoid scratching, which spreads the infection. Wear long pants and shirts with long sleeves.

How To Get Better Sleep When You Have Severe Hot Flashes

The stage of menopause is a natural process that occurs in every woman’s life. Once she is in her 40s or older, menopause begins to creep in. Part of the reason why menopause is considered a transition is because it makes it possible for a woman to enjoy pleasures in life and explore many possibilities. The children have grown, there is no fear for responsibilities, and she can now have more time for herself. But menopause is not a very bright episode. Along with it are the symptoms of menopause like hormonal fluctuations, cold sweats, weight gain, and of course, hot flashes.

So what are hot flashes?

Hot flashes happen to women during years leading to menopause. Hot flashes occur due to a drop of estrogen level in a woman’s body, leading to a sudden rise of body temperature, and a feeling of warmth on her chest, neck, head, arms and shoulders. Not all women have them, but to those who do, they are a pain in the neck. To make matters worse, hot flashes can also cause insomnia in women. Researchers from Stanford University School of Medicine interviewed 982 women, aged 35 – 65 years old by phone between June 28 and April 2004, by asking their age, stage of menopause, severity of hot flashes and sleeping habits. 57.2 percent of the participants were premenopausal. Another 20.5 percent were postmenopausal, without experiencing having periods within the past year, and 22 percent were perimenopausal.

33 percent of the subjects they had hot flashes. Half of the women who had hot flashes said they usually did not cause sweating. One – third said they had moderate hot flashes that made them perspire but not enough to make them stop what they were doing. On the other hand, 15 percent said their hot flashes caused them profuse perspiration, which made them

stop their activities.

81 percent of the women who experienced severe hot flashes said they had trouble falling asleep or staying asleep for long. Researchers found that as the severity of their hot flashes increased, so did their insomnia symptoms.

Another interesting finding: According to a study done by researchers of the University of California, Davis, in general, women who were overweight were at greater risk of frequent vasomotor symptoms as were smokers.

To women reading this article, you might be saying, “So what’s the use of counting sheep? The odds are all against me.”

No, not at all. Simple changes to your habits daily will improve your sleep. Here are some things you can do.

1. Say no to caffeine. Caffeine is found in chocolate, tea, coffee and certain medicines.

2. Get lots of morning sunshine by walking outside the house.

3. Quit smoking and lose weight. As stated earlier, smoking and being overweight make you experience hot flashes more frequently. Besides, they don’t do anything good to your health.

4. Do relaxation exercises like breathing exercises, meditation and guided imagery.

5. Exercise during the day, during late afternoon. The more tired you are, the better chances you have of falling asleep. And exercise decreases your chances of getting heart illnesses, osteoporosis and other conditions that may occur due to a drop of estrogen in the body.

To reduce the effects of hot flashes, here are the things you can do.

1. Exercise regularly. Taking a brisk walk for 30 minutes helps you cool down when hot flashes arise. Avoid anything that can worsen your hot flashes, like spicy foods, a hot weather, or alcohol.

2. Black cohosh. A series of German studies done in the past have shown its efficacy in relieving hot flashes and other menopause-related symptoms. The North American Menopause Society supports its use for up to 6 months, because of its low side effects. However, cases vary in each woman, but it’s still worth a try.

3. Hormone therapy seems controversial because of a large study funded by the National Institutes Of Health. The study was stopped because the participants were found to have an increased risk of heart attack, stroke and breast cancer. Low doses are recommended, depending on your doctor’s advice.

So cheer up. Insomnia is not inevitable just because you are menopausal. If these strategies do not work it’s high time for you to seek your doctor’s help.

How much to rely on insomnia medications?

Insomnia medications probably make the most easy-to-use treatment for insomnia; they usually come in two variants the short-term and the long-term drugs, depending on the length of the period of administration. Most insomnia medications are designed for a maximum three-weeks administration, every dose taken beyond such a limit exposes one to the risk of aggravating the sleeping problems or leads to addiction. But, perhaps the most important thing you should remember about sleeping pills is that they cannot be used in order to develop a regular sleeping pattern; they merely act as sleep inducers, and nothing more.

There is a whole series of restrictions and precautions one needs to follow when using insomnia medications; first of all, keep in mind that these are not over-the-counter drugs, and they can only be administered on doctor’s orders. Then, you may experience some side effects specific to each drug, depending on the severity of your condition and the concentration of the dosage. Never drink alcohol when taking insomnia medication, and mix several types of treatments. Taking more drugs that cause sleepiness, doesn’t necessarily ensure a quality night’s rest; you may actually develop other health problems due to over-dosage.

One major problem associated with insomnia medications is that they can cause extremely nasty adverse reactions if the treatment is discontinued abruptly. You need to know that a health care provider’s advice is essential on the matter; throughout the whole period of administration, medical observation is a must. Insomnia medications are usually prescribed in the lowest dosage and for the shortest period of time, and towards the end of the treatment, the doctor will create a withdrawal scheme for you to follow, decreasing the dosage progressively. If you stop taking the pills abruptly, you may suffer from other side effects, particularly advanced insomnia.

When should one turn to insomnia medications? As legitimate as this question may seem, the answer can only be given by someone with professional medical training in the field. Most people who are prescribed insomnia medication suffer from the impossibility to fall asleep or keep sleeping because of a transitory issue that interferes with a cycle. Insomnia medications should not be prescribed for cases of chronic sleeping disorders since sleeping pills are merely some temporary alleviation elements. Without proper treatment of the causes that underly insomnia, medications are useless and potentially harmful to the one who takes them.

Essays: Nighttime explored

People often speak of waking to the dawn, of rising with the sun. They look forward to the coming day, with all it brings. When the sun sets they wind down, readying themselves for sleep. They dream.

The night holds more than that. The night is the unseen promise of true reality. There’s nothing quite like venturing down roads at 3am, roads familiar in the harsh glare of day. Driving along shadowy paths, bathed in the soft glow of streetlamps, piercing the dark with your headlights, knowing there’s no one else around.

Walking down alleys you know you shouldn’t. Broken glass and gravel crunch beneath the soles of your shoes. Rats scamper among the dumpsters. The smell of decay surrounds you. You never know what you’ll find.

See the crescent moon dangling above the softly rippling ocean from the damp sand on a fall night as stars blink their approval of your nocturnal adventures. The wind gently caresses your skin as it glides across the water, carrying the scent of the sea past you.

But there is more to the night than such romantic notions. Or is there? Have you ever been to a 24/7 grocery store in the middle of the night? It’s late, and people have let their guard down. The neighborhood crazy woman wanders the aisles in her tattered bathrobe, shuffling her slipper-clad feet along the floor in search of cat food for her family. The empty gaze of the cashier fills you with pity. You look back at the young man desperately trying to figure which flowers to buy to appease his significant other’s anger. As you leave you nod politely at the security guard, haggard from a long life, desiring nothing more than to get off his feet.

You stop in at the hospital emergency room, where a young couple has brought their child for treatment. Their searching eyes and furrowed brows betray the fear in their hearts. The doors slam! The cold air rushes in as two paramedics push a gurney through the entrance…doctors and nurses respond in the dance they’ve repeated many times before, striving to keep death at bay as the red lights from the ambulance punctuate every step.

The night is many things to many people. Some fear it, an intangible beast capable of wreaking havoc among a peaceful populace. Some embrace it, seeking solace in the arms of shadows. Some pay no attention, occupied by other matters.

But for everyone, the night holds both the thrill and the terror of the unknown, that certain “something” just around the corner you can’t quite see.

It’s here, in the night, that the world comes alive.

Stretch It Out: Exercise to Make Your Snoring Stop

Snoring is the act of breathing through the open mouth in such a way as to cause a vibration of the uvula and soft palate, thus giving rise to a sound which may vary from a soft noise to a loud unpleasant sound. This most commonly occurs during sleep.

Stress seems to still knock on your doorstep during unholy hours “your sleep”. It can be very frustrating!, and not only for you but people around you as well.

Most people think that they may be free of stress once they close their eyes and rest to sleep. What most individuals do not anticipate is that they acquire more stress during sleep if they snore.

“Stress (roughly the opposite of relaxation) is a medical term for a wide range of strong external stimuli, both physiological and psychological, which can cause a physiological response called the general adaptation syndrome, first described in 1936 by Hans Selye in the journal Nature.”

Snore causes stress. To lessen stress in your life, you need to work on factors which drive you to be anxious. One way is to make snoring stop. Studies show that exercise helps a lot to make snoring stop.

Exercise can be categorized into two. The first one is termed as “general exercise” and the second category is known as “focused exercise.”

General Exercise

Obesity is one of the many causes of snoring. Thus, you need to lose weight to put an end to snoring. You can lose weight through exercising. Some of the common general exercises are brisk walking, jogging, swimming, cycling, and jumping rope.

You do not need to push yourself to exercise. It is important to precondition your mind as well as your physical state. By doing so, you are more prepared to undertake your preferred exercise.

General exercises should be performed at least three to five days per week with a minimum of a thirty-minute exercise every session.

Focused Exercise

This type of exercise focuses on a certain body part which needs utmost concentration. To stop snoring, you need to exercise body parts such as the throat, tongue and jaw.

Once the said areas of the upper body are exercised your air passageway is most likely be unblocked hence you will have normal breathing which can lessen snoring or to some extent prevent you from snoring.

Do not let snore add up to the many stresses in your life. Act now by exercising.

Explaining the causes of sleep deprivation – Part 1

Lack of sleep is as varied as each of our DNA. Insomnia Pathology indicates that causes are either psychological, physical, biological, environmental, or a combination of any of these four factors. For some people it can be a short-term disruption (transient or acute); for others it can be debilitating and long-term (Chronic). Determining the etiology of sleep deprivation requires thorough examination of a person’s history and their physical well, or non-well-being.

Sleep Clinic specialists usually cite life-style as the number one contributing factor in sleep deprivation. Never underestimate the power of stress. Our ability to cope with life’s curve-balls , demands of work, family, friends, society and notions of success contribute to disruptions in the various levels of rest that our bodies need daily. Consider that the demands of today’s way of living (possibly due to double incomes; financial debts; work hours & expectations; juggling children & spouses’ needs; household work & our innate need for social lives) actually permeate our sleep cycles and it becomes pretty obvious that we might need to revisit HOW we live. People no longer wake up, grow their food & families, eat the fruits of their labours and go to bed according to when the sun rises and sets, and the seasons dictate. Life’s labours, having been industrialized to maximize productivity and profits, mean more mental woes & strife when our heads hit the pillow. Machines don’t need rest; humans do.

In response to the industrialization of life and urbanization of humankind, Medicine has helped humankind (as a well-oiled machine) become more efficient, live longer and cope with MORE. Iatrogenic illness (sickness created by Western/Allopathic Medicine) is the third leading cause of death in America (according to the American Medical Association) BUT brings acute relief to soaring cases of depression, mental illness, heart disease, cancer, anxiety, headaches, digestive disturbances and alarming numbers of allergies. However, there is a cost to this environmental factor called Medicine. Aside from the deaths of 225,000 Americans (only one demographic) annually, and 106,000 of those deaths being specifically drug-related, sleep deprivation is one of the major side-effects of a multitude of medicines. Left long enough, insomnia (called Chronic Insomnia) can kill a person – most likely due to impaired functioning. Interestingly 40% of Insomnia sufferers are women compared to 30% Men (not

The Best Insomnia Cures are not at the Drugstore

Have you seen all the television ads for prescription sleep aids recently? It seems like today’s answers to sleep problems are contained in bottles of Ambien, Lunesta and other pharmaceutical lab creations. But are sleeping pills really the best answer for chronic sleeplessness? The problem with these chemical sleep aids is not in their effectiveness–they really will make you drowsy and enable you to fall asleep and stay asleep. But the real test comes in long term results. Are these prescription solutions truly insomnia cures, or are the simply a quick fix that will need to be replaced with something else later on?

Insomnia is a serious health issue that should not be taken lightly. The initial reaction of many health professionals is to prescribe one of several available sleep medications. However, these are not the best long term solution to chronic sleep difficulties.

First of all, your physician probably won’t be too happy prescribing sleep aids for longer than a few months. Regardless of what the ads say, these products simply aren’t meant to be used continuously. Secondly, it’s easy to build up resistance to the effects of sleeping pills. They’ll work great when you first start, but will be less effective the longer you take them.

Even though you will probably sleep better at night, you may not get the boost you’re looking for during the day. Everyone reacts differently to medications, but you may find that your first few hours every morning are a little foggy. This can usually be avoided if you’re able to sleep longer, but you don’t always have that option.

Becoming dependent on prescription sleep aids is also quite common. It’s easy to start taking pills but very difficult to stop. Whenever you choose to stop taking the pills, you had better count on three nights of unbelievable restlessness. You may not get any sleep at all, and it will take a lot of willpower to stay off the medications.

Here’s what you really want to do. You want to cure your insomnia, not just treat it every night. And that’s why the very best insomnia cures are not found at the drugstore. Cures actually come from making some lifestyle changes to reduce stress and decrease anxiety. You can also make changes to your sleeping environment and diet that will work wonders. And if you do need occasional help falling asleep, you can take advantage of natural sleep aids. So if you’re having trouble sleeping, investigate natural alternatives before rushing to your local pharmacy.

What Is Sleep?

Sleep is one of the essential routines in our daily lives. We start to feel a bit drowsy as the clock reaches a certain time and we know it is time to lie down and close our eyes for a while. We have to sleep so that our bodies can refuel for the next day. Sleep is something that is simply programmed into our bodies. We know this because it is commonly seen that people eventually sleep even if they don’t want to! This is because their bodies simply demand it.

Sleep goes on for roughly one-third of our total life which shows how important it really is. It is an important activity that, if not spent wisely, will eventually detract from your work and cause severe problems in your life. People just aren’t as good at anything as they are when they have had enough sleep. We know that we should not neglect our sleep because it is crucial for our motor and our cognitive functions. In order for us to survive in this world, we simply need to sleep.

In a test on rats, those who were deprived of sleep died within two to three weeks. Scientists have learned that it is crucial for both animals and people to sleep in order to be alert and functioning each day. In scientific terms, we now know that the activity of the brain regulates the amount of sleep that is needed by the body. Researchers use electrodes and electroencephalograms (EEG’s) to measure electrical activity in the brain, eye movement, and muscle tension. These are all examined to determine many facts about sleep in general. The results show certain patterns which then lead to finding out about the various stages of sleep.

There are two basic stages of sleep which are rapid eye movement (REM) and non-rapid eye movement (NREM). NREM sleep is composed of four stages in terms of the amplitude and frequency of the activity of the brain waves. The pattern of NREM sleep on the brain waves is slower, more regular, and of a higher voltage than that of wakefulness. When you are in a deep sleep, the brain waves move slower and have bigger amplitude. The first stage of NREM sleep is very light sleep. Stage two NREM, however, has two kinds of brain waves that are present. They are called sleep spindles and K complexes. Stage three and four of NREM has incrementally higher voltages and slower waves. By stage four NREM, it is extremely hard to wake a person up. This could also be referred to as “sleeping like a log”.

REM sleep is the second basic stage of sleep. It is described by eye movements that bounce around underneath a person’s eyelids in an extremely rapid fashion. The eye movements do not necessarily move all the time but they may suddenly zoom up and down or back and forth, stop for a while and then dart back and forth again intermittently. During REM sleep, the activity shows very fast and irregular activity. It is a lot more spontaneous than in the NREM sleep. The person’s muscle tone also goes limp although the major muscles like the heart, diaphragm, eye muscles and

blood vessels are still active. The state of the body in this stage is almost like being paralyzed. This is because the electrical activities in the muscles are almost completely stopped. There may be some small twitching in these muscles but mostly there is nothing during this stage.

Sleep is a cyclical process where NREM and REM sleep will repeat in cycles. It starts with an NREM phase which last for roughly ninety to one hundred and ten minutes. Then it recurs four to six times per night. As the night progresses, the extent of NREM sleep decreases and the extent of REM sleep increases. Also, blood flow to the brain, airway resistance, sexual arousal, respiration and blood pressure increase. Sleep is a broad topic and it is intimately connected to a person’s age in how it functions. Biological clocks, homeostasis, dreams, and sleep practices all play a part in how living things sleep. The science of sleep is so complex that we should all take care to get the correct amount of sleep. It is one of the most important things you will ever do!

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