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Sleep Apnea (also called Sleep Apnoea) is a common sleep disorder that is characterized by brief interruptions of breathing during sleep, which force the sufferer to wake up to resume normal breathing, and disrupt and disturb their normal sleep cycle. These episodes, called apneas, usually last from a few seconds up to as long as sixty seconds in severe cases, and may occur repeatedly throughout the night. There's no doubt that snoring becomes a real problem when
someone else is around to hear it. However, snorers may face a
more serious issue than an upset partner and a night on the
couch. Snoring can be indicative of a problem that deprives many
people of sleep: sleep apnea.
Snoring is caused by an array of things. Dental problems can
cause the noisy affliction. And sometimes a cold or other
respiratory problem causes raspy noises to emerge from the
sleeper. However, there is a condition known as sleep apnea that
causes snoring.
The main difference with snoring due to sleep apnea is that the
snoring is the result of noises made as the brain arouses the
sleeper to continue breathing. Yes, continue breathing. Sleep
apnea is a condition where the sleep actually stops breathing
for one reason or another.
Sleep apnea results in poor and fragmented sleep. While the
person suffering from the condition may not realize he or she is
waking, the body knows, and the quality and amount of necessary
REM sleep is diminished.
While occasional snoring is something everyone's partner has to
deal with, it is important to have constant and persistent
snoring checked out by a health care professional. As with most
snoring-related conditions, sleep apnea is treatable. Creating a
plan with help from a qualified professional can stop the
snoring and help reduced blood pressure, fatigue, headaches and
memory problems that result from inadequate sleep.
It is important to remember that the trouble with snoring is
not, in fact the trouble. Snoring is always one of the symptoms
of another problem. The problem may be a cold or it may be
related to some dental or other cosmetic issue. Or it might be
sleep apnea. In any case, the causes of persistent snoring
should be found and treated.
About the author:
James Hunt has spent 15 years as a professional writer and
researcher covering stories that cover a whole spectrum of
interest. Read more at www.snoring-central.info
Written by: James Hunt
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If left untreated, Sleep Apnea can be life threatening. Excessive Daytime Sleepiness (EDS) can cause people to fall asleep at inappropriate times, such as while driving, endangering their lives and the lives of their passengers and those around them.
Sleep apnea also appears to put individuals at risk for stroke and Transient Ischemic Attacks (TIAs), also known as "mini-strokes", and is associated with coronary heart disease, heart failure, irregular heartbeat, heart attack, gout and high blood pressure.
So, if you or a loved one are suffering from sleep apnea, be sure to see your doctor so that the sleep apnea symptoms can be treated, removed, or reduced before they become life threatening.
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