– What is sleep apnea and what are the causes?
– The symptoms of sleep apnea and how to overcome it.
As we all know, sleep is very important to the health as it plays a vital role in the general health. Sleep is a period of rest, a period when we withdraw from our routines and daily activities and take proper rest.
Sleep is also a state of reduced consciousness or awareness, during which we rest. People who get fewer hours of sleep have a higher risk of developing certain diseases.
However, sleep apnea refers to brief interruptions of breathing during sleep. When we sleep, there is always a cessation of breathing and this is not usually for a long time.
Also, it is a common disorder in which you have one or more pauses in breathing or shallow breaths while you sleep.
It is the reason why people experience a discontinuance in breathing when sleeping. Although many people will not know this since they are in a state of reduced consciousness.
These interruptions in breathing or breathing pauses can last from a few seconds to minutes. When the interruptions are over, normal breathing then starts again, sometimes with a loud snort or choking sound.
One of the things to note about this condition is that it disrupts your sleep.
When your breathing pauses or becomes shallow, often, you tend to move out of deep sleep and into a light sleep.
So, when we say that sleep apnea affects the quality of your sleep, it is not a myth. It makes the sleeping quality poor and this can lead to a person feeling sleepy during the daytime.
As a result, the quality of your sleep is poor, which makes you tired during the day. Sleep apnea is a leading cause of excessive daytime sleepiness.
Also, there is no diagnosis that shows this. Most people don’t also know this but a family member might notice signs of sleep apnea.
The risk factors for this condition include; being overweight, age factor, having a large neck size, etc.