My Life and Sleep Apnea

For a lot of children getting enough sleep is a big problem. Getting the children to bed is also a very big problem for the parents especially as they get older. But it has to be dealt with because sleep is very important to emotional as well as physical growth. And children need a lot more sleep than adults . Believe it or not infants usually sleep up to 16 hours a day in 3 to 4 hour intervals. (I know that is hard to believe!). Whereas teenagers should get around 9 hours according to the American Sleep Disorder Association. I doubt if that happens either. As for how much sleep an adult needs is around 7 or hours depending on the person (and depending if you have children). Like you children can also have sleep disorders even the worse kind, sleep apnea, which can appear at any age. Sleep problems for children Sleep apnea can be found in infants as well as younger children. Blockage is usually due to enlarged tongues.  Bedwetting or nocturnal enuresis is probably the mo...

In the spring before it gets too hot I like to sleep with the windows open . The air is refreshing and usually cool which is conductive for sleeping. Unfortunately there are also problems having the windows open especially if you have sleep apnea. If you have sleep apnea and can’t use a cpap then you know how difficult it is to get any sleep in any situation. Having a comfortable surrounding as well as a comfortable mattress is very important. In a previous post I wrote about how the room temperature needs to be cool if not cold. You would think in the spring the evening air would be perfect for sleeping but there are problems. Noise is always a problem especially if you live in an apartment or a house that is close to others. TVs blaring, dogs barking, people talking very loud and the list goes on. And I am sure that your neighbors in an apartment building aren’t too thrilled about hearing your snoring. Pollen is another problem because it forces you to close the windows and thi...

When I was using the cpap mask years ago I probably made it through about 4 or 5 hours before I would pull off the cpap mask . After I did that it seemed like I slept better. Although looking back I probably didn’t sleep better with the mask off it just seemed more comfortable than having the mask off. From what I have read I’m not the only person who did that. In sleep apnea forums I have found that it is common for sleep apnea sufferers to wake up in the middle of the night with a dry throat, or dry gums or just irritated from having the mask on. Of course I used a full face mask which creates a whole series of problems for cpap users. The biggest problem with that is leakage; at least it was a problem when I used the cpap. I’m sure that there have been improvements made to the cpap masks now. Another problem is panic, as in panicking because you think that your air is being cut off. That happened to me a few times. I never had a problem with claustrophobia but some folks do ...

Adults aren’t the only ones who can have sleep apnea children also may suffer from it. Unlike symptoms found in adults where loud and interrupted snoring occurs, in children it isn’t that easy to detect. Although heavy snoring is also found in kid’s sleep apnea there are other common signs that your child has sleep apnea Attention problems Lack of weight gain Mouth breathing Daytime sleepiness Enlarged tonsils Adults who have Obstructive Sleep Apnea tend to be overweight but that isn’t necessarily the case with children who have it. Although children who do have a weight problem may exacerbate the condition. Enlarged tonsils and adenoids are the most common reason that children have sleep apnea. Tonsillectomy is a common surgery for hundreds of thousands of children every year. Children can also be fitted for the cpap machine. A cpap machine delivers air through a hose that is connected to a mask worn over the face. The constant air keeps the air passage open. This usually...

You don’t have to have sleep apnea to snore. If you don’t have sleep apnea then you might be able to control your snoring. With sleep apnea the cause of snoring is the blockage of the throat by soft tissue in the palate or it might be an enlarged tongue or even tonsils. You can correct these issues by using a cpap or bipap . If it’s really bad then surgery might be what you need. But if you don’t have sleep apnea, then why are you snoring? It could be a lot of things. Heredity could play a part. You might have inherited a narrow throat or other physical characteristics that contribute to snoring. If this is the case then you might want to check with a doctor to see if you do have sleep apnea. Also as we age our muscle tone usually decreases and that includes the muscles in your throat. Exercise is great for many reasons; it might also help with this issue. Your snoring can also increase when you have a cold or the flu. Once again, it causes blockage in the back of the throat...

There are two common complaints about sleep apnea. One is the lack of rest that causes you to feel very tired in the morning. The other complaint is from your partner who has to endure the sound of gasping and grunting for air all night. These are big problems. But there are more serious consequences in leaving sleep apnea unchecked. Sleep apnea occurs when there is blockage in the back of your throat. The blockage can be from soft tissue palate, tonsils, uvula or an enlarged tongue. The brain goes into action when the body stops receiving oxygen. You gasp for air and abruptly wake up. To a sleep apnea patient this may happen hundreds of times during one evening. You may go back to sleep for a few moments and then wake again gasping for air. This goes on and on. The most serious problem is that you are depriving oxygen to your body. And that lack of oxygen can cause serious health issues such as heart disease, coronary artery disease and high blood pressure. If left untreated sleep...

Some nights you wish you could sleep the whole night through without waking up one time. Of course with sleep apnea that doesn’t happen. The obstruction in the back of your throat makes sure that you wake up constantly through out the night. Many people wonder why folks who have sleep apnea just don’t take sleeping pills . Pop a pill in your mouth and hello sandman! Well, sleeping pills relaxes the throat muscles; you know those same muscles that obstruct your breathing. This makes the apnea much worse not to mention the snoring. And it is not just sleeping pills that have this effect, alcohol right before bedtime will do the same. If you really want to relax before you go to bed try relaxation tapes or self hypnosis tapes. Also don’t eat very much if anything before you go to bed. It’s hard to feel comfortable when your stomach is churning. Feel free to comment and please subscribe to my RSS Feed thanks

Not all cases of sleep apnea require surgery. There are many treatment procedures for sleep apnea to help control sleep apnea and snoring. cpap machines are often recommended for sleep apnea patients. Air is forced through a hose into a face mask making sure that the patient receives continous oxygen. When you go to a sleep center over night evaluation you might be fitted with a cpap the last half of the evening so a setting on the machine can be determined. As I have stated in a previous post I am no fan of cpap machines. It just didn't work for me. But from what I have read there are many that have found relief with them after an adjustment period. bipap machine is similiar to the cpap but the air moving through the hose to the mask is adjusted for your breathing. Unlike the constant air pressure of a cpap a bipap changes air pressure as you inhale and exhale. Once again I have tried the bipap with no success. Oral appliances is something that I haven't tried. The mouth p...