Don't Ignore The Signs!

Could your health and your lifestyle be unknowingly compromised?

The facts are startling. One estimate says that 100 million Americans of all ages regularly fail to get a good night’s sleep. There are dozens of conditions that inhibit sleep length and quality. Some can be life threatening. One study estimated that sleepy drivers cause 100,000 auto accidents a year! Moreover, industrial accidents are well-known to be associated with lack of restful sleep. One billion dollar example is the Exxon Valdez oil spill accident that created an environmental nightmare that still reverberates through our society. The good news is there is a solution.

Those who suffer from sleep disordered breathing experience breathing difficulties from mild to acute: Snoring, Obstructive Sleep Apnea and UARS (Upper Airway Resistance Syndrome.

Snoring is always indicative of the development or existence of a sleep breathing disorder. One estimate is that 40% of adults over 40 snore. This amounts to some 87 million Americans.

Upper Airway Resistance Syndrome involves labored breathing and a partially obstructed upper airway. This is common in young women. Abbreviated UARS, Upper Airway Resistance Syndrome is often accompanied by headaches, gastric reflux, asthma, fatigue and moodiness.

One study showed that gastric reflux is present in 73% of those with sleep-disordered breathing.

Another study conducted by the National Institutes of Health in 2003 estimates the numbers of UARS cases at 17 million.

SLEEP APNEA

You can live three weeks without food.

You can live 3 days without water.

You can live three minutes without oxygen.

As we sleep, it is normal for the muscles of the pharynx to relax somewhat. For some people this relaxation of the muscles can be enough to narrow and completely close the airway. This is called apnea.

For others, the relaxation can be enough to partially close the airway. This is called hypopnea.

Either condition spells trouble for the unknowing sufferer.

The brain senses this difficulty in breathing and arouses the person just enough to regain some control of the airway by stiffening the muscles there and taking a few normal breaths. The person usually will not remember this awakening, and falls back asleep only to be aroused again when the airway closes.

This cycle repeats itself throughout the night, sometimes several hundred times, leaving the sleep fragmented and the person with OSA exhausted when they rise in the morning. Both apnea and hypopnea can lead to the same disruption of sleep and cause excessive sleepiness.

HOW COMMON IS SLEEP APNEA AND WHAT ARE THE RISK FACTORS?

Sleep apnea is more common in men than in women, by a factor of about 2:1. For those in their 20’s and 30’s the ratio of males to females is 7:1.

Being overweight, having a smaller-than-normal jaw, large tongue, enlarged tonsils, or excess tissue in the airway can be factors. Drinking alcohol, taking sleeping pills, tranquilizers and other sedating medications can also reduce muscle tone and can make your airway much more likely to collapse. Hypothyroidism has also been implicated in contributing to increased sleep apnea and excessive sleepiness.

WHAT ARE THE CONSEQUENCES
OF UNTREATED OSA AND
THE WARNING SIGNS?

For the sleeping partner, the snoring associated with obstructive sleep apnea can destroy and fragment his or her sleep. The most common complaint of those suffering from OSA is excessive daytime sleepiness. For some people, the sleepiness may be so severe that they are unable to remain awake even in dangerous situations. They may fall asleep while driving or operating machinery and thus cause injury to themselves or others. Incidences of this happening are frighteningly common.

Other consequences of untreated OSA are hypertension, increased risk of heart attack and stroke, symptoms of depression, menstrual irregularities in women, and frequent nighttime urination. Sleep apnea is also known to worsen the heart failure cycle. There may be a loss of interest in sex, and men may complain about impotence. Adults with OSA may have trouble concentrating, and can become forgetful, irritable, and anxious. Most complain of morning headaches. Family members may notice snoring so loud it is described as being "like a jack hammer", cycling with silences and then gasping or snorting noises.

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What To Do Next?
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