Sleep apnea can happen when a person regularly stops breathing during sleep and can mimic snoring making it difficult to sometimes find sleep apnea cures that work. Sleep apnea can have an effect on anyone at any age, as well as children. Risk factors include being obese, male, being more than 40 years old, having a family history of sleep apnea, a large neck, as well as tonsils that obstruct the airway.

If left untreated sleep apnea can lead to hypertension, stroke, or heart problems, such as a heart attack, heart failure, or irregular heartbeat. Sleep apnea will make you to be less productive at work or school and increase your chances of having a car accident because of your loss of sleep.

To diagnosis sleep apnea it is necessary to understand what it is. Sleep apnea occurs when someone has completely stopped breathing for 10 seconds or more while they are sleeping. Sometimes these episodes of apnea fully wake a person, other times they simply prevent a person from getting into a deep level of sleep.

There are two types of sleep apnea: central sleep apnea and obstructive sleep apnea. Central sleep apnea occurs when the brain does not send the signal to the respiratory muscles to breathe. This is more common in people with brain injuries or heart disease. Obstructive sleep apnea occurs when the airway is completely obstructed. Sleep apnea can be a serious sleep disorder. People who have sleep apnea in their family history are at higher risk of sleep apnea themselves. To find out additional information on sleep apnea there is an excellent article published by Mayo Clinic on cnn.com

If you have symptoms of sleep apnea and it runs in the family, it is best to first consult with your primary care physician. After a physical examination and medical history, a sleep study (polysomnogram) will probably be prescribed. A sleep study looks at several elements and specific physical activity while you sleep. Included in the study is an EEG, which is used to record brain wave activity, an EMG recording to detect things like teeth grinding, an EOG to record eye movements (which tells the sleep phase you are in), an EKG for your heart rate, a nasal airflow sensor and a microphone to record your snoring activity. All these results are then read by a sleep specialist and given to your doctor to see if you have sleep apnea.

If you have a mild case of obstructive sleep apnea you may be able to resolve the problem by making some behavioral changes such as changing position during sleep (mild sleep apnea most often occurs when lying on your back). Obesity can be a problem that also causes obstructive sleep apnea. Losing ten percent of body weight may improve your sleep apnea. Some individuals with sleep apnea find that exercising is hard to do because the loss of sleep leaves them too tired. But if the apnea is successfully treated then energy levels improve and it is much easier to pursue a lose weight loss plan that includes exercising regularly.

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