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There are two types of sleep apnea: central sleep apnea and
obstructive sleep apnea.
Central sleep apnea involves a malfunction in the brain. You see, when we sleep,
the brain sends signals to our respiratory organs to continue functioning even
while we are unconscious. However, if a person has central sleep apnea, this
means the brain has failed to inform the rest of the body that we still need to
breathe and, thus, cuts the activity until the rest of our organs choke and seek
air (thereby the gasping).
If left unattended, or if the rest of the body also fails to respond to this
curtailment, we could die. If you have read news articles about people who met
their makers due to acute hemorrhagic pancreatitis, it is likely related to a
severe form sleep apnea. |
It should be pointed out at this point that sleep apnea
can either be a recurring problem or a one-shot event. Thus, nobody is really
spared from it.
The other kind of sleep apnea is caused by an obstruction to the nasal
passageways. This happens when our tongues fall too far back into our mouths
that it already blocks the airways, or when we have either respiratory problems
or allergies. Thus, it has been advised that people who tend to snore or suffer
from sleep apnea should sleep on their sides.
The Consequences
People who have sleep apnea find themselves unable to perform normal daily
functions to the best of their energies. While people with sleep apnea do not
struggle with sleeplessness as with insomniacs, the fact that the body resets
and restarts every time breathing is jumpstarted will make you feel fatigued
during waking moments and unable to think or move much. Some people try to
combat this daytime sleepiness by drinking a lot of caffeine, but this actually
aggravates the situation.
Potential consequences of sleep apnea include morning headaches, hypertension,
coronary artery disease, obesity, myocardial infarction, stroke, psychiatric
problems, mood swings, impotence, cognitive dysfunction, irritability, memory
loss, and death. Mild sleep apnea cases are often addressed by changing sleeping
positions and elevating the head a bit, but for the more severe cases, medical
help is required.
If you suspect that you have sleep apnea, or have any trouble at all with
sleeping, consult your doctor immediately. It's better to prevent the problem at
the onset, than have to deal with it while it's already in full regalia. Sleep
apnea is not something you can just wave off. When left untreated, it could not
just wreak havoc on your work and personal life, but could also cut off
everything, as well.
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