Obstructive sleep apnea is the most common type of sleep apnea. Medical professionals are still at a loss as to the exact cause. For most people with obstructive sleep apnea, the soft palate is the most affected region. It happens because the muscle relaxes somewhat when the air passage fully collapses and ends up obstructed.
The Period of Interrupted Sleep
When the airway collapses and breathing stops, the person will wake up because the airway is obstructed. Being awake generally only happens for a few seconds and then the person goes back to sleep. This constant disruption stops the person from reaching a deep sleep known as REM or Rapid Eye Movement. This level is needed to help our bodies rejuvenate and defend against psychological and physical health conditions.
Possible Risk Factors
Being obese or overweight can be harmful for anyone. So also is obstructive sleep apnea. One of the main causes of obstructive sleep apnea is obesity. It generally happens because of the buildup of extra fat on the sides of the airway resulting in it becoming narrower, especially when the muscles relax. Age is another risk factor of obstructive sleep apnea because aging means reduced muscle mass.
Indications, Signs and Complications
Sleep disturbance is the major sign of obstructive sleep apnea. Because of the constant waking and not being able to reach a deep sleep, you may suffer daytime drowsiness, irritability, anxiety, personality changes, memory problems, depression and other symptoms. It could even add to drowsy drive syndrome which increases the risk of having a car accident. Congestive heart failure and stroke risks are higher due to the lack of oxygen.
Medical Treatments
There are many things that can be done to treat obstructive sleep apnea. Weight loss is your first option. This can then be followed up by positive pressure therapy, positional therapy, surgery or oral appliances. Positive airway pressure has three parts, continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP), bi-level positive airway pressure (BPAP) and autotitration. Positional therapy works with the idea that a certain sleeping position may help the patient with snoring or shortness of breath.
Sleep disorders among teenagers affects between seven to ten percent of teenagers which are called Delayed Sleep Phase Disorder, also known as DNS. By the time they reach young adulthood, many of these teenagers overgrow this disorder . Lower than one percent of adults are considered to have DSP. Often sleep disorder has been mistaken for insomnia by many people.
People with delayed sleep phase disorder if left on their own, would stay up until very late, sometimes until 4 or 5 a.m. Frequently they are referred to as night owls because they like to get up very late in the morning or early afternoon.
Some of the times, a lot of teenagers like to stay up late and sleep in in the morning because they prefer to socialize at that time of the day. Or perhaps, it can also be due to the natural delay in the circadian sleep / wake rhythm at their age of development.
Sleep disorders among teenagers most of the time make the teenagers real tired on the day and they may even fall asleep in the classroom. The definite cause of this sleep disorder is not known but It is known for certain that it is a circadian rhythm problem. The sleep disorders symptoms that you may notice are when teenagers frequently have a really hard time getting up in the morning for school. Though, they go to sleep at a regular time, such as 11 p.m., they still toss and turn for hours like an individual with insomnia. The difference is, unlike an insomniac, people with delayed sleep phase disorder have no difficulty staying asleep but they do have a very difficult time getting up early in the morning.
Sleep disorder treatments are available for people that require to get onto a more traditional sleep / wake up schedule. Other sleep disorder treatments also include, bright light, chronotherapy, melatonin and nonprescription prescribed sleeping tablet.
Exposure to bright light shifts the circadian rhythm if it is administrated within some hours of the body's lowest temperature at night. This form of sleep disorder treatments are the bright light treatment for delayed sleep phase disorder which uses bright light to trick the brain's circadian clock .
Another sleep disorder treatments, chronotherapy has been employed on someone with delayed sleep phase disorder which calls for a block of time one week long. Every day bedtime is held up by three hours successively. For example, for an individual that dozes off at 2 a.m. but would like to fall asleep at 11. p.m., their bedtime would move to 5 a.m. on the first day. The following day it would move to 8 a.m. and carry on this cycle for a week. Sleep disorders among teenagers can be quite serious where in some cases, teenagers distress with delayed sleep phase disorder would need a week off from school in order to accomplished this therapy. When the sought after bed time is accomplished it is very significant to keep a orderly wake up time.
There are several sleep disorder treatments involving various drugs that are used to treat delayed sleep phase disorder. Melatonin has been successful in changing the sleep cycle of people with this sleep disorder. Prescription medication such as Ramelteon, and other sleeping pills, have been successful in treating teenagers and adults with delayed sleep phase disorder.
Parents and teachers ought to be informed of sleep disorders among teenagers so that they are more observant with the sleep disorders symptoms so that sleep disorder treatments may be looked for. Furthermore, if your teenager has problem nodding off and forever would like to stay up late, be mindful of the theory that a sleep disorder may be present.
Both Rudy Watkins & Suzy Hughes are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
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