Sleep apnea is one of the commonest sleep disorder and affects about 18 million people in the United States. A sleep disorder which is characterized by interrupted breathing during sleep, sleep apnea is also indisputably the most dangerous of sleep disorders as it starves the brain of vital oxygen and can sometimes prove fatal.



There are two entirely separate forms of sleep apnea. Central sleep apnea is basically a neurological disorder in which the breathing is interrupted because of signals sent out by the brain. Obstructive sleep apnea is basically a mechanical problem in which the windpipe is blocked either by too much tissue or by the unusual collapse or relaxation of muscle tissue around the windpipe. In both cases however the results are effectively identical with repeated interruptions to normal breathing that starve the brain of oxygen and put sufferers at greater risk from things like hypertension, stroke and heart attack.

Unluckily, diagnosing sleep apnea can be a problem as snoring, which is one of its commonest symptoms and often results in sleep apnea being known as the snoring disease, is also seen as a symptom of various other medical conditions. Snoring is certainly generally present in cases of sleep apnea as the brain responds to a drop in oxygen by waking the sufferer enough to restart breathing and this often leads to snoring.

This recurrent awakening throughout the night also causes a very poor quality of sleep and it is fairly common for sleep apnea sufferers to get up in the morning feeling even more tired than when they got into bed. This also leads to feelings of sheer exhaustion during the course of the day and a great wish to sleep.

But, tiredness resulting from a poor quality of sleep is only one part of the picture and a range of other symptoms will almost certainly be present including morning headaches, a lack of memory and a difficulty in concentrating.

Without treatment the accumulating tiredness from sleep apnea can lead to significant psychological difficulties starting with tetchiness and progressing to depression with obvious changes in both behavior and mood.

Both central sleep apnea and obstructive sleep apnea are treatable and, providing the condition is diagnosed at an early stage, treatment can often be fairly simple. For instance, minor cases of obstructive sleep apnea arising out of nasal congestion can normally be treated with nothing more than decongestants. Also, many cases of sleep apnea that are not too severe can be treated with a mask that is worn during sleep and that provides a constant pressure of air to keep the airway open. Finally, in the most severe cases surgery might be necessary and can be extremely effective, though it may also produce numerous complications and must be considered with caution.

Perhaps the most important thing to remember with sleep apnea is that as it carries the potentially fatal risk of respiratory failure sufferers should not be tempted to take sleeping pills or to take other forms of sleep enhancers without first seeking the approval of their doctor.

Natural sleep remedies certainly provide an effective complement to prescribed treatments and herbal remedies that are intended to improve both the duration and quality of sleep can be of assistance in the management of the excessive daytime sleepiness often brought on by sleep apnea. Also, things like aromatherapy, chromatherapy and meditation and guided relaxation can help in reducing the insomnia and anxiety that go together with sleep apnea.