When I was still a kid, my grandmother would say, "Do not sleep after a full dinner or else you will end up snoring." I believed it then until I grew up and went to college where my biology teacher had a few other things to say. Sometimes people tend to relate a condition they have to something which science has determined as completely unrelated. This is the "old wive's tale" and now I am here to dispel it for all of you.



Sleep apnea has three forms: The most common is called "Obstructive sleep apnea". The second is "Brain related central sleep apnea" and the third is "Mixed sleep apnea". Though they each have slight differences in their root causes, the effect is basically the same; sufferers stop breathing while sleeping. This is a serious matter and food intake before bedtime does not have anything to do with this! It is true that the wrong kind of foods may affect your sleep and you probably shouldn't eat before bed but this is something completely different from what may cause snoring or sleep apnea! The stoppage in breathing is caused by an airway blockage due to the collapsing and closing of the tissue at the rear of the throat. This is followed by a loud snoring while the breath is being recovered.

Are you a sleep apnea sufferer? To know the answer, it is important to be aware of the symptoms. It is also best to know how to prevent these symptoms by understanding the causes in the first place. As a part of this awareness, the American Sleep Apnea Association, The National Sleep Foundation (NSF) and member organizations of the National Sleep Awareness Roundtable (NSART) are seeking funds to create more education and awareness about sleep apnea. They are producing materials for healthcare practitioners and the general public in order to encourage further research into this problem.

Now let us take a closer look at the root causes of sleep apnea. First, we must forget all other insignificant explanations! Instead, as my biology teacher once said, we will be like sponges and try to absorb all these very important facts! Studies have shown that men are at a fifty percent higher risk in developing sleep apnea and there has been a 2:1 male to-female ratio established for this disorder. Being overweight also poses a greater risk and this is explained by the fatty infiltration of the pharyngeal soft tissue in the throat. This infiltration narrows the caliber of the upper airway and therefore contributes to airway resistance. This means that the fatter the soft tissues that are in you, the greater possibility of airway blockage. People who have abnormalities in their nostril tissues are more prone to having this condition. Obviously, tissues around this area are the ones which collapse and close. Other abnormalities will also enhance more airway blockage.

There have been no published articles yet explaining why men, especially those over forty years of age, and young African Americans, are at a greater risk in developing sleep apnea. It is simply a fact. Although it can possibly be attributed to the higher percentage of men smoking and drinking.

Sleep apnea syndrome can strike anyone at any age, even children. Obesity among children, like in adults, causes sleep apnea. Airway obstruction among children is usually related to tonsiliar hypertrophy, adenoid hypertrophy, craniofacial abnormalities, and some type of neuromuscular disease such as dystrophy, spinal muscular atrophy, and cerebral palsy. Determining if your child's face is normal is important to accurately know the cause and the possible development of sleep apnea. Inspect the midfacial hypoplasia, a flat nasal bridge, or a facial asymmetry. You should also determine if your child's jaw is abnormally small or recessed. Assess if your child can open his or her mouth fully or if there is a limited jaw movement. Assess the size of your child's oral pharynx and note if it seems crowded by tonsil hypertrophy, large tongue or by the dentition. All of those abnormality assessments must be done for a proper evaluation. Assistance from a healthcare professional is still the best option if symptoms of sleep apnea arise among your children.

Though there are many sleep apnea medications available today, we still need to provide ourselves and our family the healthy sleep we all need. This can only be done by determining the causes and prevention of sleep apnea. With the causes of sleep apnea syndrome exposed to many, the risk and those who are at a greater risk of developing such condition may now be reduced. Thanks to the scientific research and health organizations, we now have a greater means of prevention for sleep apnea.