Article Advise

submitted: Jul 11th 2008 | by: SusanHarris | Total views: 1 | Word Count: 424 | |

Are you always tired? Do others report that you snore? Are you a tad or more overweight? If these are true, you may have sleep apnea.

If you meet these criteria, have your doctor prescribe a sleep study for you. Don't wait! Your life could be shortened by sleep apnea, and it's all unnecessary -- there's treatment. If you have sleep apnea, you hold your breath and then gasp for air many times a night. It results in increased risk of stroke, heart attack, and other cardiovascular disease including aneurism.

Sleep apnea is caused by the collapse of the airway while breathing in. This condition happens when excess fatty tissue lining the airway causes the airway to lose elasticity. It is a condition generally caused by excess poundage. Snoring usually occurs also.

After the airway closes, the oxygen level in the blood drops. Blood pressure shoots up. The sleeper struggles to breathe and begins to wake up. Returning to consciousness, the sleeper opens the airway, and the breath is completed. The sleeper falls back to sleep. The cycle begins again, perhaps many times per minute. Breath cessation for 10 seconds will bring you a diagnosis of sleep apnea.

The spiking blood pressure is what wears out the cardiovascular system. The semi-conscious effort is what deprives you of sleep.

The fact that you are holding your breath may come as a surprise to you. It's the constant tiredness that will be obvious.

Studies show that the spiking blood pressure countless times per night correlates wtih increased risk of cardiovascular disease. This condition, in fact, can kill you.

There's treatment?

Effective treatment has been available for a couple of decades now. The continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) system supplies air from a fan through a hose to a mask placed over the nose and mouth. Pressure from the fan keeps the airway open as you breathe in. It's not so much pressure that you can't breathe out.

Well, nothing's perfect, and some people report their masks are not comfortable. But there are plenty of options on the market.

Another downside is that you have to wear it whenever you lie down to sleep. If you go traveling or camping, you still have to wear it.

Is the fan noise a problem? Users say no; the white noise can actually help them fall asleep.

Let's stack benefits against drawbacks. Without treatment, you risk early death. With it, you have to wear a mask when you sleep and locate an electric outlet. Which do you choose?

About the Author

Writer Susan Harris is happy to inform you all about sleep apnea and its treatment, the CPAP sleep apnea machine. Check out her Internet site for plenty of information to help you see how it works and choose the best one for you.

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