Sleep apnea is one of the most common disorders among individuals today, as this disorder stops breathing during sleep, and can last from a few seconds to a couple of minutes.
Typically, this disorder occurs 5 to 20 times or more in an hour, which results in a very poor quality sleep that makes you tired during the day and is one of the major causes of excessive drowsiness during day time.
Sleep apnea usually goes undiagnosed for a long time until it reaches a critical condition. Most people who undergo this disorder do not know they have it only because it happens during their sleep.
So How Can One Know The Symptoms Of Sleep Apnea?
Sometimes the signs and symptoms of sleep apnea may be confused with a disorderly lifestyle, which makes it more difficult to determine. However, one of the most common signs and symptoms of sleep apnea are:
- Drowsiness or excessive sleepiness during the day
- Noticeable episodes of breathing difficulty during sleep
- Loud snoring. This is usually one of the most recognizable symptoms of sleep apnea.
- Waking up with a sore throat or dry mouth
- Unusual waking up from sleep caused by shortness of breath
- Unusual headache after waking up from sleep
- Insomnia
What Can Be The Possible Causes Of Sleep Apnea?
Sleep apnea can be Obstructive or Central. Obstructive sleep apnea usually occurs when certain muscles that support the soft palate in the back of your throat relaxes. When these muscles relax, the air passage narrows down or close as you inhale, and breathing temporarily stops.
This ultimately leads to lower intake of oxygen into your blood, and when your brain senses this shortness of breath, it momentarily wakes you up from sleep so you can breathe properly. This waking up during sleep is so short in time that generally most people do not remember it at all. In fact, most people with this type of disorder think they have slept really well at night.
Central sleep apnea is generally very uncommon in people and occurs when the brain does not communicate or send signals to your breathing muscles. You may wake up during the night due to shortness of breath or most people find it difficult to breathe.
The outcome of this type of sleep apnea is the same as obstructive sleep apnea, which is feeling excessively sleepy during the day. However, one of the most common causes of central sleep apnea is heart disorders.
Sleep Apnea Treatment
If your case is not so severe, doctors may recommend few changes in your lifestyle like quitting smoking, early sleeping and losing weight. However, if your symptoms do not improve with these measures, numerous other therapies may also be available.
One of the most effective as well as common therapy for sleep apnea is Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP). It does not matter whether you suffer from a mild to severe case of sleep apnea, you definitely are going to be benefited with this machine as it provides continuous air pressure through a mask that is placed on your nose while you sleep.
The Way It Works
A Cpap machine increases the air pressure or supply into your throat helping it to widen itself, so that you can breathe more effectively. These machines are low-pressure air generators and are completely portable, so taking them anywhere around your house or even outside is extremely easy.
These machines supply air pressure through a tube into a mask which is meant to be worn on your face while you are asleep. The air pressure delivered through Cpap pushes forward and helps an individual open his/her throat wider to allow more intake of air. This allows easier air flow into the lungs, which in turn makes it easier for a person to get a comfortable sleep at night.
Things That You May Use With Your Cpap Machine:
- A full face mask covering both your mouth and nose
- A nasal mask covering only your nose. This is one of the most common types of Cpap masks.
- Prongs that help the mask fit perfectly on your nose.
How Well Does The Cpap Machine Work?
Cpap is one of the most effective treatments for mild to severe sleep apnea. Through constant research and study the following has been found on its effectiveness:
- Continuous studies show that Cpap decreases drowsiness during the daytime especially in individuals with mild to severe sleep apnea.
- Research has also shown that individuals who suffer from this disorder have benefited from Nasal Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (NCPAP) in a way that it lowered their blood pressure and keep you healthy during the day and night.
- Cpap has been considered to be the best non-surgical technique for treating sleep apnea.
- People with artery diseases have less likely chances of developing further heart problems by using Cpap.
The Verdict
Cpap has been studied to be one of the most effective and no side effect treatment to cure sleep apnea. There are numerous brands available in the market that has their own models on Cpap machines. Hence, if you are suffering from sleep apnea, we recommend you to check out some of the most amazing Cpap machines.
