Sleep Apnea

Most men experience a sleeping problem known as sleep apnea. Contrary to what other people think, this condition is far more serious and even life-threatening if not treated properly. When you have this, your airflow is regularly interrupted while you are sleeping.

At present, the most common type of sleep apnea is obstructive sleep apnea. This happens when your airflow gets blocked because your airway has excess tissues. This problem is usually experienced by obese or fat people. Another reason is having enlarged tonsils as well as a large uvula. The uvula is the pendulum made up of a fleshy tissue, and this is located at the back of your soft palate at the roof of your mouth.

When these happen, the air cannot flow easily in and out of your mouth or nose. Breathing then becomes harder so a suction force in your upper airway is created. The result is a pause in your airflow, which causes loud snores when you sleep. Other effects are lower oxygen levels and higher carbon dioxide levels in the bloodstream. These things cause you arousal while having a nice slumber.

One more downside of sleep apnea is experiencing abrupt changes as you sleep. Everytime this happens, the brain receives a signal so it opens your airway. Your breathing returns to normal after a loud gasp or snort.

You must know that every condition has a cause. For sleep apnea, it is suggested that drinking alcoholic drinks and swallowing sleeping pills can worsen your breathing pauses. One reason for this is that these products sedates your brain and prevents arousal.

Even though middle aged men are more prone to sleep apnea, middle aged women are not exempted from this condition. Recent studies state that four percent of men and two percent of women suffer from this. This ailment is usually accompanied by excessive daytime sleepiness or EDS.

However, you must remember that not all snorers are affected with this condition. But if that person is a snorer, obese, has high blood pressure, always sleepy, then he or she must consult his or her doctor right away.