Getting a good night's sleep does wonders for your health. But, what if you are having problems falling asleep? Insomnia, sleep apnea and snoring interfere with your ability to sleep through the night. Find out why you have a need for sleep and how to manage those sleep disorders.

Sleep

Insomnia, sleep apnea and snoring are just a few of the health conditions that can leave you tired and irritable. Find the causes, diagnosis and treatments for sleeping problems that can leave you counting sheep.

Sleep Disorders

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The most common serious sleep disorder, sleep apnea occurs when your breathing is interrupted during sleep. Sleep apnea doesn&#39;t just leave you fatigued and irritable&mdash;it also raises your risk of several long-term health conditions. The good news is that you have several effective choices for treatment.

The best-known sign of sleep apnea is deep snoring interrupted by a &quot;catch&quot; or pause in the breath, caused by a breathing obstruction. In this video, Dr. Oz explains other ways to spot this common and dangerous sleep disorder.

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Dr. Jeanne Morrison, PhD

Sigma Nursing

Sleep apnea is a common breathing disorder that causes breathing to stop during sleep. This causes sleep to be interrupted. Pauses in breathing may last 10 to 20 seconds and can happen 20 to 30 times or more per hour. The interruptions in breathing cause carbon dioxide to build up in the blood. People may resume breathing with a snorting sound.&nbsp;

Daniel R. Spogen, MD

Univ. of Nev. School of Medicine, Family Medicine

Sleep apnea is a condition of abnormal breathing during sleep where airflow stops repeatedly and for a prolonged time each time. Obstructive sleep apnea ("OSA") is due to blockage of the airway despite a person making the effort to breathe ("respiratory effort"). Because the airflow stops, the body arouses enough to engage muscles to open up the airway, but not usually enough to wake the person. As a result, though, oxygen saturation is lower than it should be, and the person does not get restful sleep. OSA also increases the risk for cardiac, vascular, and other diseases. Central apnea is due to damage to the brain or central nervous system and results in a lack of respiratory effort. Women are about half to a quarter less likely to have sleep apnea than men, but the incidence in middle-aged women in North America is still about 2%.

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SecondsCount.org

Do you snore loudly? Do you regularly suffer from daytime sleepiness? If so, you could have sleep apnea, a common and serious sleep disorder that affects many people with cardiovascular disease. Sleep apnea is a series of pauses in breathing during sleep due to temporary airway obstruction, which can tax your cardiovascular system and contribute to disease.&nbsp; 
Snoring is not always related to sleep apnea, but it is no laughing matter and it could be a reason to be checked by your doctor for sleep apnea, especially if you already have cardiovascular disease.

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Discovery Health

Sleep apnea is a condition that makes you stop breathing temporarily while you sleep. This forces you to awaken to resume breathing, resulting in disruptive sleep.People with sleep apnea show marked increases in their blood pressure over time and have a higher level of sympathetic nervous system (SNS) action, research shows.The SNS plays an important role, controlling heart rate and the constriction of the blood vessels.Normally, when you sleep, your blood pressure and SNS will taper off gradually. That doesn't happen if you have sleep apnea and you are waking at regular intervals to resume breathing.

HW Admin

HealthyWomen

Sleep apnea is a serious, potentially life-threatening condition that is far more common than generally appreciated. It is characterized by repetitive, brief interruptions of airflow during sleep. 
 
Sleep apnea occurs in all age groups and both sexes but is more common in men. However, it may be underdiagnosed in women. Research has shown that more than 18 million people in the United States suffer from sleep apnea. The condition is more common in people over age 40.

What is sleep apnea?

If you think you have sleep apnea, you should make an appointment with your doctor&nbsp; to discuss it. Many people could benefit from a sleep study to be evaluated for sleep apnea, but they will need to talk with their doctor prior to setting this up.

What should I do if I think I have sleep apnea?

Dr. Michael Breus, PhD

There are a number of lifestyle choices that can help protect the quality of your sleep (and your health in general) and diminish your risk of developing OSA: <ul><li> Keep your weight in a healthy range. Excess weight is a primary risk factor for sleep apnea, in both men and women. Keeping your weight in check is perhaps the single most important thing you can to protect yourself against developing sleep apnea as you age. And of course, maintaining a healthy weight confers a host of other protective health benefits as well. What&rsquo;s one powerful tool in keeping your weight down -- or losing weight, if you need to? You guessed it -- a good night&rsquo;s sleep.</li><li> Don&rsquo;t smoke. This one should be beyond obvious. Smoking is a dangerous, potentially deadly habit. No one should smoke. Among its hazards, smoking increases the risk of OSA. There is also evidence that the combination of smoking and obstructive sleep apnea creates a particularly heightened risk of cardiovascular disease.</li><li> Get regular exercise. Exercise will help you keep your weight in check and also enhances the overall quality of your sleep. Exercise early in the day if you can and outdoors when possible -- the exposure to sunlight helps strengthen circadian rhythms that govern our sleep/wake cycle. For people who are treating sleep apnea with a CPAP device, there&rsquo;s evidence that the combination of CPAP and exercise are particularly effective together in alleviating sleep apnea.</li></ul>

How can I help prevent sleep apnea?

Sleep apnea is generally caused by the obstruction of breathing passages while in a deep sleep.&nbsp;Managing this problem consists of methods to make this airway obstruction less likely.&nbsp;Weight loss for overweight or obese patients is critical and often very effective. A common medical therapy for sleep apnea&nbsp;is the use of a CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) machine during sleep.&nbsp;CPAP is&nbsp;a very&nbsp;effective treatment for&nbsp;sleep apnea, but some patients find that using the machine&nbsp;is difficult, while other patients are able to use a CPAP machine with no problems.&nbsp; Some patients with very large tonsils or a very large palate (roof of the mouth) may even benefit from a type of surgery to make the airway larger.

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RealAge

Losing weight if you are overweight helps relieve the pressure on your airway that contributes to your nighttime breathing pauses if you have sleep apnea. Changing your sleeping position by using pillows or other props to keep you from lying on your back may help maintain an open airway. Avoiding alcohol and any substance that slows your brain function, including central nervous system (CNS) depressants such as sedatives and muscle relaxants, also helps keep your airway clear. Warning: Do not take sleep aids if you have or suspect you have sleep apnea. Sleep aids depress the central nervous system and can make pauses in breathing worse.

What can I do to manage my sleep apnea?

There are many possible causes of excessive daytime drowsiness. Some of the common causes are:&nbsp; <ul><li>poor&nbsp;sleep at night -- often from shift work or a poor sleep schedule</li><li>chronic medical illnesses such as heart failure, diabetes&nbsp;or kidney disease</li><li>mental disorders such as anxiety or depression</li><li>drug use such as&nbsp;caffeine or certain medications</li><li>a sedentary lifestyle</li></ul>Sleeping disorders such as obstructive sleep apnea or narcolepsy may also cause excessive daytime drowsiness.&nbsp;Often there is a combination of several factors that contribute to excessive daytime drowsiness.&nbsp;

What could cause excessive daytime drowsiness?

Your partner may be the one with sleep apnea - a disorder in which breathing is interrupted throughout the night - but you may be just as sleep deprived as your partner. This can make being supportive of your partner more of a challenge. But communicating and working together will help both of you sleep better.<ul><li>Talk about your concerns. Be open and honest about your concerns for your partner&rsquo;s health and for your relationship.</li><li>Get some proof of the problem. You may want to record or videotape your partner while sleeping - and snoring and gasping - if he or she underestimates the extent of the problem. It may help you convince your partner that there is a problem (and how it is also your problem) and that he or she should speak to the doctor about it.</li><li>Take steps to modify the bedroom to promote better-quality sleep for you and your partner. Try making sure the bedroom is serene and conducive for sleep. Check the temperature of the bedroom, close the blinds or use blackout curtains, and turn off electronics several hours before bed.</li><li>Encourage your partner to change any lifestyle behaviors that may be getting in the way of good-quality sleep. Avoid caffeine, alcohol and nicotine. Offer to go for a walk with your partner to encourage daily exercise. Try some relaxing activities before bed.</li><li>If the snoring is unbearable and you can&rsquo;t sleep, consider temporary separate sleeping arrangements. There&rsquo;s no reason both of you should be sleep-deprived while your partner is being evaluated and treated for sleep apnea. Once treatment is started, the snoring should subside and you will likely be able to return to the same bedroom and get the rest you both need.</li><li>Be patient. Your partner isn&rsquo;t trying to make you sleep-deprived, too. He or she has a medical problem, which sometimes takes time to figure out and treat. He or she may also have trouble adjusting to the condition and treatment and may also be feeling overwhelmed. Offer encouragement and avoid nagging, which sometimes backfires and makes your partner not continue treatment.</li></ul>

How can I be supportive of my partner who has sleep apnea?

Yes, sleep apnea may cause high blood pressure and make it more difficult to control. Signs of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) may also include snoring and daytime sleepiness. If you suspect that you have OSA, schedule a visit with your doctor.

Does sleep apnea make it harder to control blood pressure?

Sleep position is very important. The recommendation is to sleep on your side and try to avoid sleeping on your back, which can cause your tongue to fall in the back of your throat, obstructing your airway.

SCAI

When you avoid sleeping on your back, it may help prevent the airway obstruction that results in sleep apnea, a common but serious disorder that causes interruptions in breathing while sleeping. However, it is difficult to maintain a certain sleep position throughout the night, so changing sleep position alone is likely not an effective treatment for sleep apnea.If you have been diagnosed with or have symptoms of sleep apnea, be sure to discuss the disorder with your physician. Sleep apnea taxes the cardiovascular system and can contribute to heart attack, stroke, and other cardiovascular problems.

How important is sleeping position for people with sleep apnea?

What&rsquo;s interesting about this study is that it debunked previous notions about floppy eyelid syndrome (FES), which had long been considered a disease of overweight, middle-aged men. The British researchers did not find such a pattern based on age, gender, or body mass index (a measure of weight and barometer for obesity). But they did find a remarkable pattern with regard to obstructive sleep apnea, which affects more than 18 million people in the United States: &bull; People with FES have rubbery-textured upper eyelids that may easily flip up during sleep, exposing the whites of their eyes, which can lead to dry, irritated eyes and/or discharge. &bull; Most people would awaken if their eyes became excessively dry and irritated during sleep, but people with OSA may have a dysfunctional nervous system that prevents them from waking to address their eyes. &bull; What&rsquo;s more, people with OSA tend to sleep on one side, which could result in intense, repeated pressure on the eyelid on that side of the face. &bull; The combination of all these factors may contribute to or cause FES.

How is sleep apnea linked to eye disorders?

There are three classifications for sleep apnea including central, obstructive and complex. Central sleep apnea is associated with an interrupted or decreased respiratory effort. Obstructive sleep apnea is blockage of the airflow despite respiratory effort such as snoring. And complex sleep apnea is a combination of central and obstructive.

What are the types of sleep apnea?

Sleep apnea is a common and serious sleep disorder that affects many people with cardiovascular disease. The disorder consists of a series of pauses in breathing during sleep due to temporary airway obstruction, which taxes your cardiovascular system and can increase risk for high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, heart attack and stroke.

If you are experiencing the following signs and symptoms of sleep apnea, you may wish to discuss them with your physician so you can be screened for the disorder.

<ul>
	<li>Restless sleep</li>
	<li>Loud snoring</li>
	<li>Awakening to a feeling of choking, gasping or smothering</li>
	<li>Morning headaches, dry mouth or sore throat</li>
	<li>Excessive daytime sleepiness</li>
	<li>Memory impairment or difficulty concentrating</li>
</ul>

&nbsp;

The main symptoms of obstructive sleep apnea include the following:

<ul>
	<li>Loud snoring, except during pauses in breathing</li>
	<li>Pauses in breathing that usually last from 10 to 30 seconds, but may last for a minute or longer</li>
</ul>

If you&#39;re not sure whether you snore or have breathing gaps, ask a close friend, relative or partner if he or she has observed these symptoms in you. You can also record yourself while you sleep.

Although you may not be aware of breathing interruptions and fragmented sleep, it&#39;s likely that you&#39;re not getting adequate rest if you suffer from daytime symptoms such as these:

<ul>
	<li>Morning headaches</li>
	<li>Forgetfulness or an inability to concentrate</li>
	<li>Tiredness</li>
	<li>Frequent dozing off</li>
</ul>

What are the symptoms of sleep apnea?

Dr. Anita Gupta

Sleep apnea occurs when someone&rsquo;s breathing gets interrupted while he or she is asleep, because of the way the brain functions. It puts people at a risk for stroke, diabetes, heart attack, obesity, irregular heartbeat, high blood pressure, and heart failure. Even though anyone can get sleep apnea, it is more common in overweight men over the age of 40.

Who gets sleep apnea?

One of the common signs of sleep apnea is excessive snoring. You may notice your partner snoring and then having momentary pauses where they appear to stop breathing for several seconds. Other common symptoms of sleep apnea are waking up tired in the morning or with a headache. They may also be very tired during the day and even fall asleep at inappropriate times, when they did not intend to. Typically, people who tend to be overweight or obese, or have a very large neck size, are more prone to sleep apnea. However, this is not always the case. The only true way to be able to tell if someone has sleep apnea is to undergo a test called polysomnography, or a sleep study. This is performed overnight at a medical facility, with continuous monitoring, while the person is observed during sleep.

Although your partner&#39;s snoring might make you want to stuff socks down his throat, instead look for signs of sleep apnea. The most critical indicator is a pause in breathing for more than 10 seconds. But be careful -- breathing can be an illusion. You may look over at Mr. Lawn-Mower Mouth, see his belly moving up and down, and assume he is breathing; but that might just be his diaphragm trying to pull air down. His gut can be moving, even if he&#39;s not inhaling. So don&#39;t just look; listen for changes in breath. Snoring is actually a good thing. (Never thought you&#39;d hear that, huh?) It signals that some air is actually moving in and out. No snoring, after a period of snoring, can be a warning that no air is moving in and out. If there&#39;s no sound for 10 or more seconds, and there isn&#39;t a whoosh of air out of the nose or mouth, it&#39;s a sign that breathing has stopped. You also can check yourself if you live alone. If you&#39;re constantly so tired that you can fall asleep anywhere during the day, it could be a sign of apnea. Another clue is neck size. If it&#39;s over 17 inches, you have more than a 50% chance of developing sleep apnea.

How can I tell if my partner really has sleep apnea?

An apnea monitor is a portable machine that monitors breathing and heart rate during sleep. It may be recommended for use in babies, particularly premature infants, who have been diagnosed with apnea (pauses in breathing during sleep). The apnea monitor comes equipped with electrodes and/or a belt that attaches to a baby&#39;s chest or stomach. When the baby&#39;s breathing and/or heart rate dip below normal, it triggers an alarm on the monitor. The device may also be referred to as an apnea and bradycardia or A/B monitor. Home apnea monitors are not used as often now because they can frequently cause false alarms, and because treatment of apnea in the hospital has improved over the years. 
 
Apnea monitors are also made for adults who are at risk of respiratory failure from sleep apnea. These may measure breaths and changes in breathing pressure, presence of carbon dioxide in breaths, and motion during sleep, among other data, and sound an alarm if the adult&#39;s breathing pauses too long.&nbsp;

An apnea monitor tracks breathing and heartrate. Apnea is when an individual stops breathing. A home apnea monitor for a baby tracks a baby&#39;s breathing and heart rate.

What is an apnea monitor?

Dr. Michael Roizen, MD

Five percent of men over the age of fifty have sleep apnea, which means they repeatedly wake up suddenly during sleep because their airway has been shut off and they are not getting enough oxygen. Most men don't realize they're actually waking up, although they may feel tired the next day. Sleep apnea ages you because it decreases your ability to have restorative sleep, raises your blood pressure, and adds to daytime somnolence, increasing accident risk. So it increases aging of your arteries, your immune system, and increases your risk of death or disability from accidents.

How does sleep apnea affect aging?

Sleep apnea is the most common sleep disorder, and occurs when your breathing is interrupted during sleep. Learn more about sleep apnea from our experts.

Sleep Apnea

If you think your sleep partner has sleep apnea, look for symptoms such as disrupted sleep, feeling sleepy during the day, depression and cardiovascular problems. Watch this video to learn more from Dr. Scott Leibowitz about signs of sleep apnea.

How Can I Tell If My Partner Really Has Sleep Apnea?

There are two basic types of sleep apnea: obstructive sleep apnea and central sleep apnea. Watch this video to learn more from Dr. Scott Leibowitz about the different types of sleep apnea.

What Are the Types of Sleep Apnea?

Sleep apnea (a condition that causes you to pause breathing during sleep) may boost your risk of osteoporosis. Watch Robin Miller, MD, describe ways to prevent this bone disease.

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