Sleep apnea

The muscles of the upper windpipe passed air flow to the lungs. In the dream, the muscles relax, but the flow of air to the lungs ceases. Some people channel airflow significantly narrowed that makes breathing difficult. Sleep apnea - a condition in which the airway obstruction leads to disruption of the normal flow of air to the lungs, leading to snoring and momentary cessation of breathing.

Seizures stop breathing alternate attempts sharp resumption of breathing, accompanied by loud sighs and sharp snoring. As a consequence, the disease leads to sleep disorders and jet lag organism. Furthermore, in this case, reduced oxygen levels in the blood, which leads to fatigue and sleepiness. In severe cases, sleep apnea may result in pulmonary hypertension. This disease is most prone full of elderly men, but sometimes it develops in women.

One of the causes of obstructive sleep apnea can be a large diameter neck. Sleep apnea - a lethal disease, as it can trigger a heart attack or stroke. Because of the frequent attacks of apnea during the day a person feels drowsiness and fatigue, which can lead to injuries in the workplace and the DPT.

Diagnostic procedures to help identify sleep apnea and to determine its severity:

• Electrocardiogram (ECG) showing a cardiac arrhythmia during sleep
• An echocardiogram, which allows to study the functioning of the heart
• Analyses of the thyroid gland
• Sleep studies

The goal of treatment of sleep apnea - to prevent airway obstruction and, consequently, respiratory arrest. Patients are recommended to maintain a healthy body weight and to refrain from consuming alcohol or sleeping pills before going to bed. Continuous positive airway pressure - a form of ventilation. This procedure is the treatment of sleep apnea is that the patient during sleep wears a special mask that covers the nose and mouth, which prevents obstruction of the airways.

Treatment of sleep apnea

Treating sleep apnea may be limited to lifestyle changes, medication, but in some cases can not do without surgery. First of all, patients are advised to lose weight How to lose weight - basic principles   and stop smoking - it is one of the major factors in the development of sleep apnea.

This may improve nasal breathing. The use of continuous positive airway pressure helps prevent snoring and bouts of sleep apnea. The rate and pressure of air flow that enters through the mask, is determined by the doctor.

Obstructive sleep apnea

Obstructive sleep apnea - a common sleep disorder caused by obstruction of the trachea, or windpipe, through which the air enters the body. Obstruction can create language, tonsils or uvula. In some cases, obstruction of the air flow creates adipose tissue. Patients with sleep apnea syndrome obstruktvinogo often complain of the following symptoms:

• Loud snoring
• Daytime sleepiness
• Memory lapses
• Inability to concentrate
• Morning headaches
• Lethargy

Central sleep apnea syndrome

Central sleep apnea syndrome - a disease in which the body forgets how to breathe for a few seconds. This syndrome is not caused by sleep apnea obstruction, it has a neurological origin. Syndrome of central apnea is shown by short bouts of complete cessation of breathing. It is a neurological disorder may be accompanied by a violation of the mechanisms of swallowing, weakness and numbness in the extremities Numbness - a harmless signal or a sign of the terrible? . Diagnose sleep apnea syndrome, central magnetic rezonanskaya imaging and monitoring of sleep throughout the night. Syndrome of central sleep apnea can lead to:

• Abnormal sleepiness during the day
• Increased irritability
• Disability focus
• Sleep Disturbances Dreams: how to understand our dreams
• Elevated pressures
• Heart disease

For the treatment of central sleep apnea syndrome drugs are used or oxygen therapy. Also used continuous positive airway pressure.

Surgical treatment for sleep apnea

Sleep apnea is often treated surgically - removed the cause of the airway obstruction. Often, for the treatment of sleep apnea is enlarged tonsils removed and adenoids Adenoids - the expansion of the pharyngeal tonsil . Uvulopalatofaringoplastika - another common surgical procedure which is performed sleep apnea. During surgery, the patient removes the excess fabric from the rear wall of the throat in order to increase the size of the upper airway.

As a rule, uvulopalatofaringoplastike remove the soft palate (velum), at the bottom of the back wall of the throat. This surgery is performed under general anesthesia. Some leading hospitals it is also performed by laser under local anesthesia. Reconstructive surgery of the nose straighten a deviated septum and removes excess tissue, to improve nasal airway patency. Changes in the bone structure of the upper respiratory tract can facilitate the passage of air, especially when the patient is asleep.

The mask for the treatment of sleep apnea

The mask for continuous positive airway pressure using air pressure pushes the tongue forward. Eliminating this opens the throat obstruction to the passage of air, reduces snoring and prevents sleep apnea. Mask - this is not a method of treatment of sleep apnea, but it helps to alleviate the condition of the patient, reduces the frequency of attacks of respiratory arrest. Individual masks made to order, they fit tightly to the face, repeating the outlines of the nose, cheeks, lips and forehead of the patient. Mask tightly secured to the face, there is no gap between the skin and the inner surface of the mask.

Symptoms of Sleep

The most common symptoms of sleep: fatigue, lack of energy, lethargy and fatigue. Tiredness and fatigue adversely affect mood, hence the pessimism, melancholy, stress, fast irritability and even depression. For normal operation of the frontal cortex of the brain need a normal restorative sleep. The ability to control speech, to solve various tasks and use storage resources controlled by the frontal cortex of the brain, so the lack of rest and sleep leads to a weakening of these abilities. Any driver knows that the wheel is better not to sit down, do not sleep.

Sleep Disorders in adults and children are shown differently. Constant yawning, falling asleep while watching television, inability to concentrate and unsteadiness when walking - these are just some of the common symptoms of sleep in adults. Symptoms of sleep in children: irritability Irritability - you try to control my temper , Daytime sleepiness, bouts of anger and irritation, excessive activity and moodiness. Children who suffer from sleep disorders, difficulty waking up in the morning and can not get out of bed without hysteria.

Causes of Sleep

Among the main causes of violations sleep isolated lifestyle, medication, diseases and sleep disorders (narcolepsy, parasomnias (a disorder characterized by abnormal phenomena during sleep) and sleep apnea (cessation of breathing during sleep)). Often, the direct cause of fatigue and lack of rest becomes a way of life. Everyone knows that the evening is better to refrain from drinking caffeinated beverages and alcohol. For people working in shifts, lack of sleep can be very dangerous, because it leads to disruption of circadian (circadian rhythm).

Medications can also affect the biorhythms of the body and lead to insomnia, fatigue, anxiety and agitation. Some in this case, take a sleeping pill, but it is unlikely that an option can be considered as a solution. The effectiveness of sleeping pills is reduced over time, and, in addition, a sleeping pill violates the body's biorhythms. In addition, in the sleep mode is also affected by diseases that cause fatigue: asthma or psychological disorders (depression, post traumatic stress disorder).

Consequences of infringement of sleep

Violation of sleep leads to a reduction of mental activity and other mental defects. Lack of rest leads to a deterioration of mental abilities - the ability to think, react to stress How to beat stress? Create an oasis   and critical situations and to maintain a healthy immune system. Experiments have shown that lab rats died within a few weeks in the absence of necessary rest.

Violation of sleep:

• mental activity

In order to prevent the negative effects of sleep disorders, the brain has to work several times stronger, but the effectiveness of this work remains low. There is a decreased concentration and memory loss. In addition, the violation of sleep can cause a disorder of connectivity speech and slowing reactions. Also, impaired ability to problem solving and decision-making, and new ideas and original ideas do not appear. Also among people suffering from sleep disorders, hallucinations are common.

• emotional health

Violation of sleep causes a sharp deterioration in sentiment. Irritability and a short temper - these are the two most common sign of sleep disorders. As a consequence, emotional breakdowns and even cruelty - are not uncommon among those who are chronically not getting enough sleep because they are losing control of their emotions. Drowsiness leads to increased levels of stress and anxiety Anxiety - how to distinguish normal from disease? . Stress and anxiety, in turn, may lead to insomnia. In the absence of timely medical care, this vicious circle can lead to anxiety disorders and depression.

Many children with violation of sleep, attention deficit disorder is manifested Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) - how to help fidget?   Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Although the symptoms of insomnia and ADHD are similar (irritability, inability to concentrate and control nerve impulses), sudden worsening of symptoms of ADHD points to a nervous breakdown caused by sleep disorders.

• physical health

As a result of insufficient rest and a lack of normal sleep, we can not focus vision. Also hampered performance of small motor functions. Sharply reduced muscle strength and endurance, because of low glucose metabolism. Lack of sleep increases the appetite leading to weight gain. In the normal work and rest of the immune system, there is a direct link. Violations of sleep increases the body's sensitivity to infections, because in this case reduces blood levels of certain important immune cells and cytokines (protein important for health).

• Inability to concentrate
• Difficulties in learning and assimilation of new information
• Failure to properly carry out the work, which could lead to accidents on the road and manufacturing.
• Deteriorating skills of perception and reproduction.

Correction of sleep

• Every night, go to bed at the same time.
• Close the curtains at night to create a suitable atmosphere, condusive to sleep.
• Take a warm shower before going to bed or bath.
• Include a table lamp, not the overhead light.
• Listen bedtime pleasant relaxing music.
• In the evening, do not take a lot of fluids or beverages containing caffeine
• Daytime sleep affects the ability to quickly fall asleep at night and sleep until morning, without waking up. Try to sleep less during the day.
• Heat, cold, discomfort or desires in a toilet can disrupt normal sleep.
• Happy go in for sports and other activities that contribute to a good night's sleep

Each of us at least once in his life faced with sleep disorders, which can cause serious illnesses, emotional instability or unrest. If the violation of sleep does not pass with time, seek medical attention.