An estimated 12 million Americans suffer from OSA - obstructive sleep apnea which is the most common form of sleep disorder there is. Of these approximate 12 million Americans, over a half are said to suffer from mild snoring and are also either obese or overweight. OSA, for unknown reasons, is more common in males than females and in people who have large neck measurements as opposed to medium or small necks.

OSA is when a person's airways are blocked during the night and therefore their breathing stops. They begin normal breathing patterns again anywhere from a few seconds to 10 seconds but there are cases where it takes 50 to 60 seconds for normal breathing patterns to resume. For those who suffer longer patterns of breathing sensations, the more serious the OSA is. Obstructive sleep apnea is more likely to occur in those individuals who drink liquor, new snow or, who need to lose weight or those who have one form or another of anatomical abnormality affecting their jaw or soft palate. Obstructive sleep apnea could still occur in a person that does not fit into any of the above criteria for reasons unknown.

The cause of the obstructive sleep apnea or OSA is caused when the muscles in the air where relax excessively while a person sleeps. In numerous cases of OSA there is a “brutal reduction or occlusion of the pharynx” that gravely obstructs or completely stops a person's breathing altogether. An excessive amount of carbon dioxide then builds up and once the brain becomes aware of this, “airway muscles are activated which opens the airway, allowing breathing to resume but interrupting deep sleep.” It's at this point you will need to consider the use of sleep apnea breathing machine. These machines are CPAP, VPAP & APAP which are designed to provide a constant rate of oxygen while you sleep.

OSA can often develop as a result of constant episodes of the airway obstruction during sleep. Roughly 2% of women and 4% of men suffer from sleep apnea meet what has been deemed as “diagnostic criteria” for a sleep disorder. There is an average estimate of approximately 10 bouts of apnea, which is sometimes referred to as “apneic events” during the course of every hour. The definition of an apneic event could be described as either an apnea, which is the complete secession of airflow for at least 10 seconds or a hypopnea, which airflow decreases by 50% for 10 seconds or decreases by 30% if there is an associated decrease in oxygen saturation or an arousal from sleep. Technically speaking, sleep apnea is given a grade or level by sleep researchers, which is then calculated by the number of apneic events which take place each and every hour. “Apnea-hypopnea index” (or AHI) is what it's known as in the normal level of AHI is less than five, whereas one that lies somewhere between five to 15 is mild and 15 to 30 would rate a moderate AHI. The most severe or the highest level is 30 or more apneic events per hour.

Obstructive sleep apnea shows signs during the day with extreme tiredness as one of the most common symptoms. There are any number of other symptoms a person suffering from OSA could experience including headaches in the a.m., anxiety, drifting off to sleep during the busy work day, irritability, difficulty concentrating on tasks, depression, behavioral changes and/or changes in mood, an increase in a person's heart rate and a tendency to forget things easily. Another symptom often experienced at night is the desire to urinate often and nocturnal enuresis - the uncontrolled or involuntary discharge of urine.

Important Note: You should consult your doctor if you have concerns over your health,
and the information on this site is not medical advice, and is for information purposes only.