It is ironic that millions of people suffer from it, but don’t know what is sleep apnea. It is a very common sleep disorder characterized by pauses in breathing while asleep. The pauses are followed by a very loud snore or snort. These snorts are actually gasps for air as the person struggles to breathe.
According to the National Sleep Foundation , 18 million people suffer from sleep apnea in America. Around 38,000 die from its complications every year. In the UK, 15 million people are affected by this disorder.
The origin of an apnea
The word apnea came from the Greek word ‘apnoia’ which means ‘without breath’.
Pickwick Papers
Back in the 1800’s nobody really knew what is sleep apnea. But even back then, people were already suffering it. The great literary author Charles Dickens first mentioned this disorder in one of his writings. He mentioned it in his first novel entitled “The Posthumous Papers of the Pickwick Club.”
Studies on sleep issues were conducted by a French doctor named Dr. Gestalt as early as 1965.
In 1981, a group of Australian doctors documented the use of a continuous positive airway pressure (cpap) machine. It is now one of the most effective treatment for people with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome.
Today, a lot of people already know what is sleep apnea. There is already a lot of information on sleep apnea for everyone. Diagnostic facilities and treatments have already been developed and are continuously being improved.
How do I know if I have sleep apnea?
If you have a family history of sleep apnea, then you are greatly at risk. Sleep apnea is usually diagnosed on men, but women and children can also have it.
Symptoms of sleep apnea are both hard and easy to detect. It is because some of the symptoms can also be associated to other disorders. Some of the obvious symptoms include being overweight and snoring. Others are morning headaches and feeling extremely sleepy and tired during the day. Sleep apnea sufferers also often have trouble fighting off sleepiness during conversations and while driving. They have difficulty concentrating on their work and are easily irritated by simple things.
Diagnosing the problem
If you want to find out more about what is sleep apnea, or suspect that you might have it, it would be wise to go to a doctor for diagnosis. Your doctor might refer you to a sleep specialist or a sleep clinic. These facilities best diagnose your symptoms to find the right treatment. Diagnosis will require an overnight stay at a sleep clinic to monitor your breathing pattern while asleep.
What is sleep apnea’s worst effect?
There’s probably no other worst effect than death. In the case of severe sleep apnea, death is a consequence if you don’t get treated. Severe sleep apnea causes you to stop breathing for long periods of time. This deprives your brain of oxygen. It wakes you up for over a hundred times a night, which greatly affects your heart. Worst part is, you don’t even know that these things are happening to you while you sleep.
same reason that not all people who experience fatigue has this disorder. Here are some common signs that you might be at risk:
