Understanding Sleep Apnea Disorders

Undetected, sleep apnea can be an extremely dangerous and bothersome problem. Sleep apnea problems may go undetected for years but the symptoms may have been there for years. In sleep apnea, the throat and tongue muscle relax and block the airway.

This can be caused by your tonsils, by being overweight, by the structure of your head and neck or as a side effect from medication or aging. One of the most common symptoms is snoring excessively. Physiologically, sleep apnea can be serious. Not only is your body not in taking enough oxygen which causes blood oxygen levels to drop, but you can suffer from heart arrhythmias as well. When this happens often, it can lead to high blood pressure, heart attack, stroke and other life threatening illnesses.

What Can You do For Sleep Apnea Problems?

The goal in treating sleep apnea is to restore regular breathing during sleep. This can be done in many different ways; however, there aren’t any medications that help. The most important element to change when battling sleep disorders has to do with lifestyle changes. Using breathing devices and having surgery to correct abnormalities may alleviate the problem. Mouthpieces that you wear while sleeping are also effective at keeping the airways open. It is also important to avoid alcoholic beverages and to sleep on your side rather than your back. Special pillows are available to help keep your body in the optimal position. If your nasal passages are often blocked and you are a mouth breather, it is important to take medications to help with that.