Sleep apnea is a period of time when you do not breathe. The bad part is you probably do not even realize you are not breathing because you are asleep. Statistics show that 90% of people who suffer from sleep apnea do not even know they have a problem. This may happen hundreds of times a night. If this disorder is not caught and treated it can be life-threatening.

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is the most common type and is caused by an obstruction which halts the air flow to the nose and mouth. Central Sleep Apnea (CSA) is less common than OSA. It is a disorder of the central nervous system that happens when the brain delays telling the body to breathe. This can be caused by many things.

For instance, brain tumors are one. A chronic respiratory disease, a viral brain infection or a stroke can cause CSA. Causes are different for all types of sleep apnea but the end result is the same – loss of oxygen, not enough sleep and ultimately death if it is not treated.

Some other causes of sleep apnea are being overweight. This is not a determining factor though. Half the people who have sleep apnea are not overweight. Other causes include a deviated septum, a receding chin, an enlarged tongue and even the shape of your head and neck. These are physical features that will cause the problem.

If your type of sleep apnea is obstructive, your throat closes while you are sleeping, which keeps air from reaching the lungs. Whether it is due to alcohol, drugs or just the aging process the muscles in the throat and tongue relax more when you are asleep. This type of sleep apnea may be genetic. The reason may be due to an anatomic abnormality. Or it could be a medical condition – irregardless this is a dangerous disorder.

Another reason for sleep apnea is the blockage of the nasal passages. This could be because you have allergies or a cold or even sinusitis. Smoking is another culprit.

Signs of Sleep Apnea

Some signs to watch for if you suspect sleep apnea, are being sleepy in the daytime and feeling like you did not get enough rest, choking during the night or gasping for air, periods of silence from the sleeping individual that happen often during the night and loud snoring. While snoring itself is not an indication of sleep apnea, it can mean abnormalities that could contribute to the condition.

Hopefully you have a sleeping partner that can tell you if any of these things are happening while you are sleeping. If not, there are other ways to determine if you are suffering from sleep apnea. Set up a tape recorder before going to bed to see if you capture the sounds of someone who is gasping for air as they sleep. This should tell you if you are having problems with this disorder. The tape recorder will capture it if so because this happens many, many times a night. If you suspect that you are a sufferer of sleep apnea, make an appointment and see a doctor or go to a sleep lab. Your very life may depend on doing this.

Do I Have Sleep Apnea?

How would you know if this is happening to you? If you wake in the night on one or more occasions and feel as though you are having trouble breathing, you may want to speak with your doctor. He can set up a polysomnogram which will determine if indeed you are suffering from sleep apnea. This entails an overnight study of your sleeping habits in a laboratory setting. If you are suffering from this disorder, it is imperative that you get treatment right away.

Because sleep apnea happens when the upper airway either collapses or is blocked, this can be a very dangerous problem. Not only could you stop breathing for good but you could develop high blood pressure, heart problems including failure and strokes.

What Causes Sleep Apnea?

There are two different types of sleep apnea. The one most people have is obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). This is normally a problem caused by the soft tissue in the back of the throat. It collapses while you are asleep, blocking the air flow and causing the sufferer to stop breathing.

Central sleep apnea (CSA) is not caused by the airway becoming blocked. This is a result of the brain not telling the muscles to breathe. Either way you are not breathing so this can be very scary. Answer a few questions and see if you are included in the risk factor segment of the population.

Are you:

* a male
* overweight
* over age 40

Do you:

* have a large neck
* have a family history of sleep apnea
* have large tonsils
* snore loudly and habitually
* choke or gasp for air when sleeping
* feel sleepy all day long
* have trouble concentrating
* have a dry throat when you wake up
* feel easily annoyed during the day

These are a few of the symptoms that may mean you have sleep apnea. If you are worried that you may have it you really should see your doctor. This just may save your life. Sometimes the cure for sleep apnea can be as simple as removing your tonsils. This can cure it once and for all.

Since there are no blood tests that will reveal the diagnosis, the condition cannot be diagnosed without a test administered in a laboratory. The fact is most people do not even know they have sleep apnea unless someone else has noticed they wake often during the night gasping for breath. The mind does not register this is happening when you are asleep.

If you suspect that you may have sleep apnea, it would be in your interest to schedule a doctor visit to discuss this disorder. Since it can lead to other serious health problems as well, it is essential that you find out if you are suffering from this malady. Children can even have sleep apnea so the problem is not concentrated entirely on any one segment of the population.