What is sleep apnea?

When a woman falls asleep, the muscles in her body relax—including muscles in the neck that support the airway from the mouth to the lungs. Sleep apnea occurs when the muscles in the neck relax so much that the airway becomes narrow and breathing becomes difficult. In many cases, the airway collapses entirely (due to the relaxation) and breathing is impossible until the sleeper awakens and muscle tone is restored.

Symptoms of Sleep Apnea:

Symptoms of sleep apnea include:

• Mild, moderate, and loud snoring
• Gasping or pauses in breathing during sleep
• Frequent movements (tossing and turning) during sleep
• Sleepiness and fatigue during the day
• Morning headaches
• High blood pressure
• Weight Gain
• Heartburn/Acid Reflux
• Insomnia
• Excessive perspiration during sleep
• Dry mouth in the morning

Consistent snorers (3 nights or more per week) are twice as likely to suffer heart attack, stroke and high blood pressure than non-snorers.

During periods when your airway is blocked, the body’s oxygen level can fall to dangerously low levels. Untreated sleep apnea has been conclusively linked to weakening of the right wall of the heart muscle, is a contributor to hypertension (high blood pressure), and has been demonstrated to increase blood pressure during sleep as much as 20 to 40 points above normal.

Sleep apnea causes spikes in blood pressure—often called "phantom spikes" because they are transient during sleep and are not visible during waking hours—that may be responsible for what are known as “silent strokes.” Silent strokes do not dramatically disable an individual. Instead, they rob him or her of cognitive ability (memory) in one small section of the brain at a time.

People with sleep apnea typically are unaware of their condition because - by definition - periods of apnea (blocked airway) occur during sleep. People who suffer from OSA also do not realize that they are waking regularly - often hundreds of times - during a single night's sleep. For this reason, bedpartners must help identify symptoms of sleep apnea before the person suffering from the condition can.

The cycle of apnea:

1. The apneic patient falls asleep
2. Muscle tone in the body relaxes
3. Airway narrows and/or collapses, causing breathing to be difficult or impossible.
4. The collapse of the airway may cause loud snoring, snorts, pauses in airflow, and labored breathing.
5. Oxygen level begins to fall.
6. The apneic patient continues to struggle for breath…time goes by…10, 20, 40 seconds…and longer…
7. Heart rate falls below normal—there is decreased oxygen to pump through the body.
8. Brain senses low oxygen/high carbon dioxide level, releases jolt of adrenaline—“fight or flight” response—to awaken brain and body and prevent suffocation.
9. Sleeper awakens briefly, takes five or six large breaths, breathing in oxygen and blowing off excess carbon dioxide (CO2). Sleeper typically does not remember arousal. Sleeper often repositions him or herself on the bed.
10. Heart rate speeds up in response to rush of adrenaline—now pumps above normal heart rate.
11. Oxygen/carbon dioxide levels return to near normal. Brain allows sleeper to resume sleeping.
12. Sleeper falls asleep.
13. Muscle tone relaxes…