Obstructive Sleep Apnea

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Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a life-threatening health problem that many people do not know about. Snoring is one of the primary signs that you may be suffering from OSA.

What is obstructive sleep apnea?

OSA is a condition in which you stop breathing while you sleep because your airway becomes blocked. In some people the blockage is caused by the muscles of the throat and mouth relaxing. It can also be caused by blockage in your nasal passages, too much tissue in the airway, or the structure of your jaw.

When you stop breathing your oxygen levels drop, your brain recognizes the danger, and you begin to wake up. You may not wake up entirely, but you wake up enough to adjust and start breathing again, and the you fall back asleep. This cycle can happen as many as 100 times an hour. Many people with OSA are not aware that this is happening at all.

If I don't notice it, why is OSA a problem?

Even though you don't notice waking up, OSA causes sleep deprivation and oxygen deprivation. Over time OSA can lead to deadly health problems including heart disease and strokes. Serious health problems caused by OSA can include:

Heart disease
Heart attack
High blood pressure
Cardiac arrhythmia
Stroke
Diabetes
Hypertension
Obesity
Poor metabolism
Gastric reflux
Muscle pain
Fibromyalgia
Loss of short term memory
Cognitive impairment
ADD and ADHD
Mood swings/temperamental behavior
Severe anxiety
Depression
Insomnia
Impotence

Symptoms

Before you develop the serious problems listed above, you may notice disturbing symptoms such as:

Weight gain
Fatigue
Dry mouth
Sore throat
Difficulty breathing through your nose
Morning headaches
Foggy thinking
Mood swings
Decreased sex drive
Decreased performance on the job or at school
Insomnia
Waking up in the night choking or gasping for air
Chronic snoring

Seek relief from the symptoms of sleep apnea with specialized treatment from ihatecpap.com. If you or a loved one may be losing sleep due to sleep apnea, call or email ihatecpap.com today for a consultation with our renowned sleep apnea physicians.

Disclaimer: This Sleep Apnea website only provides information on CPAP alternatives, sleep apnea treatment, sleep apnea appliances, dental sleep medicine and on the prevention and cure of snoring across the USA and Canada.
This information is not to be taken as medical advice.
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