Sleep Apnea
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"Apnea"
means the absence of breathing. During sleep, breathing changes with its stage
and depth. Some individuals stop breathing for brief intervals as often as several
times an hour. This can be normal. However, when these episodes of apnea become
more frequent and last longer, they can cause the body's oxygen level to
fall and also disrupt sleep. The sleeper might not fully awaken but does lose
the deep, restful stages of sleep and will feel tired the next day.
With sleep disrupted night after night, a sleep apnea victim faces increasing daytime sleepiness that leads to irritability, memory lapses, inattention and personality changes. These symptoms can cause poor work or school performance. Everyone has experienced feeling sluggish the day after a night of poor sleep. Obviously, many nights short of restful sleep bring days without joy or success.
In addition to daytime problems, sleep apnea can injure organ systems. For example, the decrease in oxygen with each episode of apnea can alter heart function and increase the work the heart has to do. Some scientists suspect that apnea contributes to high blood pressure and stroke risk. Severe cases can be life threatening by causing severe disturbances in heart rhythm.
