Central sleep apnea causes – Part 3

“Waiting to Inhale”

Sleep apnea is a respiratory disorder that occurs when an individual stops breathing for a short period of time during sleep. There are two types of sleep apnea; Obstructive and Central.

~Obstructive Apnea~

Obstructive sleep apnea occurs when the airway is blocked, usually by the tissue of the soft pallet. The tissue slides back into the airway when the jaw, mouth and throat muscles relax. The obstructions can also be caused by fatty tissue in the throat or oversized tonsils or adenoids. The individual will stop breathing for a short period of time until the brain forces the sleeper to awaken with a gasp and start breathing again. This process is then repeated many times during the sleep period.

The forced awakening often leaves the person with a feeling of disorientation and/or fear. This is because during the apnea the body is no longer taking in oxygen. The lack of fresh oxygen in the blood stream forces the pulse to increase as the heart tries to pump faster to compensate. This lack affects brain function as well which leads to disorientation upon waking. The increased heart rate and low oxygen levels in the brain are what make sleep apnea a potentially life threatening condition.

~Central Apnea~

The second type of apnea, Central sleep apnea, is much rarer, though just as dangerous. It occurs when there is a problem with normal brain function during sleep. The brain fails to send the required signals to the respiratory system and the components fail to operate. In essence the individual “forgets” to breath.

Some possible causes of Central apnea are Poliomyelitis (Polio), Encephalitis (brain inflammation), and nervous system complications due to radiation, surgery or stroke. The symptoms for Central apnea are very similar to Obstructive apnea including, frequent awakenings, daytime sleepiness, mood swings and lack of energy. Unlike Obstructive apnea, snoring is not usually associated with Central apnea.

For diagnosis and treatment options please refer to the articles under “Central Sleep Apnea Treatments.”

Tips to Get Rid of Sleep Snoring

Snoring is the result of blocked air passages. All cures for snoring revolved around clearing the blockages in the breathing passages. When you are awake the throat muscles keep the throat and air passages open. When you sleep the throat tissues relax and the airways become smaller. Hence you snore.

Get Good Sleep

The best tip to stop snoring is to get good quality sleep. Getting good sleep does not only prevent snoring, it’s good for the body as well because lack of sleep results in the weakening of our immune system. Sleeping is when our bodies repair itself and builds up resistance to attacks. You should have regular sleeping times and have undisturbed sleep as much as possible. Having these you will be better able to follow other tips to stop snoring on your own.

Don’t drink alcoholic beverages, take sleeping pills, tranquilizers, or antihistamines right before going to sleep, they will cause your muscles to relax and limit your air passage way.

Sleep on your side or stomach, instead of your back. Experts say when you sleep on your back, your tongue falls back into your throat, blocking full airflow and causing snoring.

Don’t take any sleeping medications, tranquilizers, or antihistamines just before going to sleep. These drugs can cause the muscles to relax and limit the passage of air in your airway. Antihistamines are especially known to exacerbate snoring. They also dry up sinus mucous, hardening it so that the natural flow of sinus drainage cannot get through and can lead to sinus infections.

An exercise and weight loss regime is the only way to resolve the problem. If you are very overweight you may also suffer from sleep apnea which is when the airways become so blocked that breathing stops for a short time at frequent intervals during sleep.

Excessive Weight

When you are overweight, you often have fatty deposits around your neck and throat. This can lead to your airways being blocked while you’re asleep, leading to snoring.

Think of it like this – if you have a double chin, that extra tissue presses down on your throat while you’re lying down.

Obviously, the solution to this problem is to lose some of the extra weight you’re carrying around.

Try wearing a small adhesive strip over the bridge of the nose as you sleep. These strips lift the nasal passages open. Since snoring is always related to mouth breathing, keeping your nostrils clear reduces snoring by promoting breathing through the nose.

If you are a smoker, stop smoking, if that is not feasible then avoid smoking right before you go to bed. Smoking causes inflammation and swelling of the throat.

Other than surgical solutions to stop snoring, there are also other non-invasive ways of how to stop snoring. Some of the more creative ways of how to stop snoring is to use a pillow to either elevate your head or to prop you in such a way that you do not change the position where you do not snore.

Six Triggers of Snoring That Can Ruin Your Sleep

Snoring is not a small problem. In fact, a lot of relationships have ended simply because one spouse cannot endure the incessant snoring of the other. If you have heard your wife or husband or your roommate complain about your nightly vocalization, then maybe you need to do something about your problem already. Besides, snoring does not only disrupt your sleep, it prevents others from getting their much-needed slumber as well.

Basically, a snore is a noise created by the vibrations of some parts of the respiratory system while a person is asleep. Feeble throat muscles and soft tissues commonly bring about these sounds or vibrations. In order to put an end to your snoring, you first need to know the reasons behind your nightly ritual of creating noise. Below are some of the most common causes of snoring:

Sleeping Position

People who sleep on their backs are more prone to produce nocturnal sounds than those who sleep on their sides. It seems that when you are sleeping on your back, the muscular tube of your pharynx relaxes, which is responsible for the constriction of airways. Try changing your sleeping position if you want to minimize your snoring.

Nasal Congestion

People who are suffering from allergies and colds usually snore when they sleep because their airways are blocked by mucus. Moreover, enlarged adenoids and tonsils can also make someone snore. If the reason behind your snoring is nasal congestion or other upper respiratory infections, then you have to find ways to hasten your recuperation.

By inhaling steam, taking medications and drinking plenty of water, you will surely beat your nasal problems and allergies in no time. In order to minimize risk of getting sick, you may also want to strengthen your immune system or get protection from the things that are causing your allergies.

Gender

Men are more predisposed to snoring than women primarily because their necks are bigger. Thus, they have more tissues in their necks that can cause obstruction of airflow, making them snore at night.

Age

Another cause of snoring that you cannot do anything about is your age. It seems that people tend to snore more as they age. Probably the reason behind it is that tissues and muscles become weaker as a result of natural aging process.

Vices

Believe it or not, your vices can also contribute to your snoring. Alcohol consumption just before going to sleep can make the muscles on your throat and pharynx more relaxed, which can cause you to snore. Smokers are also not spared. It seems that smoking causes irritation of the respiratory system. Individuals who are recipients of second hand smoke can also become snorers due to the inhalation of smoke.

Obesity

It is not really surprising that excess weight and fat can bring about snoring. Those who are obese and overweight usually have a big neck and excess fatty tissues in the area, which can lead to more vibrations of the tissues.

If you are overweight, simply shedding pounds could tremendously help minimize your snoring. Once the excess fat tissues in your neck are diminished, the blockage in your airways will surely be gone.

There are also other products that can help minimize your snoring. Nasal strips, which are designed to keep your nostrils open, can help you breathe easily. There are also some snoring sprays that are used to coat the soft and loose tissues of your throat in order to prevent snoring. If you use this, however, make sure that you do not drink or eat anything 30 minutes before and after you used the spray.

If you happen to be the victim of a snoring spouse, however, what you can do to help cope with the nocturnal vibrations is to use earplugs. If this does not work, you can probably take some all-natural sleep supplements, such as Somulin, to help you sleep better. If you want to know more about Somulin, just go to http://www.somulin.com/.

An overview of sleep disorders in adults – Part 5

“To sleep perchance to dream” Here’s the rub, sweet dreams coming from a restful and restorative sleep seem to elude most people. More than a fifth of all adults will experience sleep problems at one stage of their life. Sleep problems can range from insomnia, snoring, obstructive sleep apnoea, narcolepsy, night terrors, restless leg syndrome and sleep walking.

Insomnia

Laying awake staring at the ceiling, might give you time to think, but when the clock starts ticking into the wee-small hours of morning and you haven’t had a wink of sleep to restore your tired body and mind, insomnia leaves you feeling fractious.

Stress, too much caffeine, jet-lag, shift work can all contribute to your inability to sleep. Medications, therapy or developing a good sleep regime can all reduce your chance to get insomnia. By going to bed at the same time every night, having dinner early, reducing caffeinated or alcoholic drinks, relaxing or taking a warm bath can all improve your ability to get a good nights sleep.

Snoring

A sound of a violent storm is heard when one stores. The turbulence is caused by a blockage anywhere between the vocal cords and the nose. As the muscles of the tongue, throat and soft palate relax, the snoring gets louder and more intense.

Obstructive sleep apnoea

Obstructive sleep apnoea is where the throat muscles relax and block the airway briefly, which stops breathing and deprives the body of oxygen.

Narcolepsy

Narcolepsy is a bizarre condition where a person can fall asleep instantly at any time during the day or night. This is caused by a malfunction in the sleep/awake regulating system of the brain.

Night Terrors

Night terrors usually occur once only during the first couple of hours of sleep compared with nightmares which are continual and happen during the later hours of sleep.

Restless Leg Syndrome

As the name suggests, “Restless Leg Syndrome” is where the legs become uncomfortable when they are in a state of inactivity. A person will want to move their legs or rub them to relieve the uncomfortable feeling they are experiencing.

Sleep Walking

Sleep Walking usually occurs in children and is a condition that is usually out-grown. However, a traumatic event, like a death, can cause adults to sleep walk for many years until the issue/stress is dealt with.

Snoring: Cause And Effect

When we sleep, we pass through different cycles of slumber, from a light sleep to a deep sleep. The muscles in the soft palate (the roof of your mouth), tongue and throat relax as we fall into a deeper sleep, which may cause them to vibrate and prevent air from comfortably traveling through the airway. Snoring can be a habitual problem or an occasional one and is usually reported to the snorer by his or her sleeping partner. Snoring gets louder because the tissue vibration intensifies as the airway is constricted.

About 45% of sleeping adults are snorers and 25% of these noisemakers are thought to be habitual. Snoring tends to worsen with age.

Snoring occurs for a number of reasons. A person with a long or oversized uvula (the hanging tissue in the back of the throat) can experience snoring. Overweight persons, people who consume too much alcohol before sleeping (causing the throat to relax too much due to the sedative nature of alcohol), people with nasal congestion (allergies or deviated septum), smokers (smoking causes nasal and lung congestion and relaxes the throat muscles), enlarged adenoids or tonsils (add additional vibration to the tissues in the throat while sleeping) or the heredity of a narrow throat are all factors that can contribute to snoring. Additional causes can be traced to being male, sleeping on your back, being older (middle-aged or seniors), being out of shape, taking medications such as sleeping pills or antihistamines, having a cold or asthma and sleeping on overly soft pillows.

Snoring is generally not a major problem although can be disruptive to the sleep of the snorer or the snorer’s sleeping partner. A snorer can feel overly tired the following day although they have gotten a good night’s sleep. Snoring is always caused by a narrowing of the air passage and in cases such as the snorer having a cold or sleeping on their back, the chance of snoring is increased. If a person’s snoring is severe, this will cause them to experience sleep deprivation (also for the snorer’s bedmate!). Sleep deprivation has a myriad of effects on the body including: a weakened immune system, negative mood or crankiness, a decrease in productivity, low energy, lack of decision-making capabilities, poor emotional and mental health and slow reaction time. Snoring also has the effect of reducing oxygen flow to the brain which, in turn, can contribute to high blood pressure, hypertension, premature death, type II diabetes, stroke and heart disease.

Heavy snoring can cause relationship problems as the snorer often awakes their sleeping partner unknowingly over twenty times an hour! This leads to lack of quality sleep that leads to irritability, distractedness and a general malaise. When this type of snoring occurs, many sleepers opt to sleep in separate rooms or one gets banished to the couch which does not improve relations of the sexual or communicative nature and leads to lack of intimacy and puts a strain on the relationship. If this occurs, see your doctor.

Sleep apnea is a case where snoring is indicative of a larger problem. Sleep apnea causes the throat to close and obstruct intake of oxygen and increases carbon dioxide in the breathing system. The loud snoring you would hear, followed by 10 seconds or more of silence which results in the sleeper waking up briefly, gasping or snorting for air, then falling back to sleep. This is not only extremely disruptive for the snorer and the snorer’s bedmate but is also dangerous. This condition is serious and a person experience these symptoms should consult a doctor immediately for treatment.

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