Severe sleep disturbance - nocturnal sleep apnea

Do you have the following symptoms: in the daytime it always tends to sleep, you do not remember how you fall asleep at the wheel, and your loved ones have to constantly watch you when you drive, at night you snore loudly and unevenly, drastically waking from time to time, and Breathlessly breathing. If anything happens to you from the above, there is a high probability that you have a syndrome of nocturnal sleep apnea.

What is nighttime apnea

The concept of "apnea" literally means "lack of breathing." Episodes of sleep apnea last from a few seconds to 2-3 minutes. Patients in a dream trembling convulsively and often wake up, make impetuous sighs, then again fall asleep. It constantly alternates in a dream several hundred times during the night.

Do not confuse the measured loud snoring, the harm from which can be felt only by the awakened neighbor, with the apnea syndrome.

Types, which is divided into nighttime apnea

• Central apnea. The center in the brain that regulates breathing ceases to give the right signals so that a person can breathe.

• Obstructive sleep apnea. The walls of the upper respiratory tract are blocked, closing the air access.

• Mixed apnea. The combination of the previous two types of sleep disturbances and is the most common form of nocturnal sleep apnea.

The patient, who suffers from this violation of sleep, feels very badly in the morning, completely broken, as if he did not sleep at all. Imagine such a debilitating condition, which is repeated from day to day, from month to month.

Than it is dangerous apnea

Such people walk, as if on the edge of the abyss, because they can fall asleep at any moment, in the most unsuitable place, for example, at the wheel or at work. This represents a serious threat to their security.

In addition, high blood pressure is not uncommon in this sleep disorder. Violations of the cardiovascular system in the form of cardiac muscle hypertrophy, heart failure and stroke each year cause the death of thousands of patients who suffer from nocturnal sleep apnea (in the United States alone, 38,000 people die each year for this reason).

Who suffers from apnea more often

It is believed that men, especially after 40 years, are most often at risk of developing apnea. The risk increases with weight gain. However, even young children can get sick, and nighttime apnea can manifest at any age.

How to treat nighttime apnea

Any treatment for sleep disorders should be performed strictly under the supervision of a specialist. The doctor will recommend an individual course of treatment and a method that is acceptable only in your particular case.

• Conservative treatment of obstructive sleep apnea is performed quite effectively with the help of a special device used during sleep. This device creates a positive continuous air pressure in the airways. The patient puts on a mask for the night, in which the compressor supplies a certain amount of air, necessary to prevent the phenomenon of apnea. For each patient, the settings are made individually.

• Surgical intervention. Using a laser and radio waves, the doctor removes excess tissue from the surface of the patient's larynx. This method is used if treatment has not yielded tangible results in a conservative way.

As can be seen, it is dangerous to disregard the alarm signals, indicating a violation of sleep. If treatment is required, do not try to do without it, trust specialists and do not delay visiting a doctor. Help your loved ones if you see symptoms of apnea, so that this disease does not lead them to trouble.

Chronic insomnia can cause serious physiological abnormalities that will damage your health. Do not deprive yourself of a full and healthy sleep - a lack of sleep is very dangerous!