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.

Treatments For Mild To Moderate Sleep Apnea

Bringing about lifestyle or behavioral changes generally treats mild sleep apnea adequately. These alterations may include such things as losing weight, discontinuing smoking, decreasing your ingestion of alcohol before going to bed and not taking any substance prior to bedtime that could artificially make you sleepy such as sedatives, tranquilizers or any kind of sleeping pills (both prescription and non prescription). Sleep apena sufferers are also well-advised to sleep with only one normal sized pillow, rather than two or not oversized pillows and to sleep on their side as opposed to their back.

There are also oral plastic mouth pieces that can be custom-fit for a sleep apnea patient either by a dentist or an orthodontist that can bring some degree of relief from symptoms. These oral mouth devices are meant to keep the air passage clear and open while the patient sleeps. These devices are best at decreasing how much a patient snores on a consistent basis. They work in three different ways. First, they can serve to bring the jaw forward, secondly, they can raise the soft palate (which is located at "the roof of the mouth in the back of the throat"), and thirdly they can prevent the tongue from falling backwards during sleep and blocking the flow of air. It is important to understand that sleep apnea is a progressive medical condition which means that it will get worse as a person ages and therefore if symptoms can be identified and reduced when it is a mild case then it might not grow into a moderate or more serious sleep condition.

Patients who suffer from moderate sleep apnea are often treated by way of continuous positive airway pressure (abbreviated to CPAP or C-PAP). When that is the case the individual suffering from sleep apnea dons a nose mask that is attached to a machine while sleeping. This machine blows continuous airway pressure into the nose of the sleep apnea patient and enables the airways to remain open and clear during sleep. The air pressure level is set according to what the individual suffering from sleep apnea needs and readjustments can be made when a sleep technician visits individual's home to check the machine. CPAP is an effective treatment for individuals suffering from moderate sleep apnea when it is used consistently and as instructed.

Some sleep apnea individuals experience side effects as a result of CPAP treatment. Side effects may include headaches, sore eyes, a dry or stuffed up nose, bloating of the stomach and irritation of the skin in certain areas of the face. There are things that can be done to lessen the side effects of CPAP treatment. For example a nasal spray may be used to improve a nose that is dry or stuffed up. The doctor or sleep technician can adjust the settings on the CPAP machine (it could be set too high or too low) And also the size and/or fit of the nose mask can be adjusted. Another helpful tip is to have moisture added to the airflow of the mask to improve conditions for the patient. It may be the type of CPAP machine that is causing adverse side effects to the patient. It is important that the machine used is one that "automatically adjusts the amount of air pressure to the level that is required to keep the airway open." It is also imperative that the machine starts with the lowest air pressure that it is capable of as the individual suffering from sleep apnea first drifts off to sleep and then the air pressure gradually increases as the patient falls into a deeper state of sleep.

So, as noted above, there is help for a person suffering from sleep apnea and if the symptoms can be identified and reduced early, when the sleep apnea is still only a mild case then it might not develop into a moderate or more serious sleep condition.