World Sleep Day: What Is Sleep Apnea

For people suffering from Sleep Apnea, it's difficult to get into a good sleeping routine. They are drowsy throughout the day, despite heading to bed early, eating adequately, and getting plenty of sleep. Sleep is essential for living a healthy life, yet many individuals struggle to get enough of it.

If you're in a similar circumstance, it could be pointing you towards such a sleeping disorder called Sleep Apnea. World Sleep Day is on March 18th, and it's critical to focus on the health issues that are preventing us from sleeping well and causing a variety of problems.

Sleep Apnea is one of the many common sleeping problems that people can have. It is estimated that 1out of 10 women and 1 out of men experience Sleep Apnea. It is a serious sleeping disorder, it affects a person's respiratory system, and it can occur in all ages, even babies. 

Sleep Apnea is more common in those who are overweight and have structural abnormalities. This can decrease the width of the upper airway such as nostril blockage, swollen tonsils, or a tiny jaw with an overbite. People who suffer from Sleep Apnea have a habit of pausing and resuming their breathing frequently. They typically snore excessively and are weary even after resting for the recommended amount of time. There are three types of sleep apnea.

• Obstructive Sleep Apnea is a much more prevalent type of apnea that happens when the muscles in the throat relax. When the airways get blocked and the surrounding tissues in the back of the throat compresses during sleep, this is known as obstructive sleep apnea. Obstructive Sleep Apnea is common in people who have central nervous dysfunction, such as after a stroke or in individuals with neuromuscular illnesses. It's also frequent in those who have heart failure or other cardiac, renal, or lung problems.
• Central Sleep Apnea is when your brain is unable to deliver the necessary signals throughout the body that regulate your breathing. 
• Complex Sleep Apnea is when a person has a mix of both obstructive and central sleep apnea.

Sleep Apnea can include a wide range of symptoms. Obstructive and central sleep apnea have similar signs and symptoms. As a result, it might be difficult to determine which type the person is experiencing.  The following are some of the most prevalent clinical symptoms of obstructive and central sleep apneas:

• Insomnia
• Excessive daytime sleepiness
• Loud snoring
• Waking up frequently to urinate
• Mood disturbance
• Gasping for air during sleep
• Difficulty in focusing while working.
• Having a dry mouth after sleeping
• Morning headache.
• Irritability.
• Night sweating
• Feel choked after waking up

In children, the symptoms are seen differently such as:

• Bedwetting
• Hyperactivity
• Feeling sleepy during school, often disguised as laziness. 
• Breathing through their mouths.
• Difficulty swallowing.
• Poor performance at school.
• Inward movement of the rib cage when inhaling.
• Sleeping in abnormal positions, such as overextending their neck.
• Excessive sweating at night