Is Your Snoring A Sign Of Sleep Apnea?
Mike Greene | December 6, 2011Amongst all the snoring related physical afflictions, arguably one of the most severe and ironically least understood is a condition called Sleep Apnea. These two words needs to be imprinted inside the minds of each and every snorer, and anyone who resides with or cares about the safety and well being of a snorer.
The word apnea inside the term sleep apnea derives from the Greek term for absence of breathing. That, to put it succinctly, offers a feeling of how damaging this disorder can be; it literally describes a circumstance where breathing halts while asleep.
There’s 2 types of sleep apnea:
1) Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) – This most commonly encountered type of apnea takes place when throat muscles relax.
2) Central Sleep Apnea – This type of apnea occurs when the brain does not send proper signals to the muscles that regulate breathing.
Sleep apnea and snoring are directly interconnected because during snoring the airway of the trachea is consistently subjected to repetitive collapse and obstruction; in fact, it is that collapse and obstruction that leads to the vibration that, ultimately, shows itself as audible snoring. OSA hence develops when, as a result of that constant collapse of the air passage, breathing actually halts.
Although OSA occurs two to three times as often in older male adults, it can affect young or old, male or female. Even children could have sleep disorder like apnea, a issue more common than once thought.
Specific factors can put an individual more at risk of getting sleep disorder like apnea:
Obesity & excess fat (causing an enlarged neck and extra soft tissue within the trachea)
Enlarged adenoids and/or tonsils (air passage may become blocked when tonsils or adenoids are far too large)
Sex and age (older males are more likely to be affected by sleep apnea than females are)
Consuming alcohol (sedates the throat muscles causing them to collapse)
Smoking cigarettes (which inflames the upper air passage)
While death is obviously possible due to OSA (and subsequent lack of breathing), there are many very serious effects that, although not fatal, are certainly severe.
Even when it is not fatal, Sleep apnea deprives one’s body of vital oxygen; and thus, overall blood oxygen levels are decreased and at the same time, carbon dioxide levels rise. Leading to toxic accumulation that can cause heart disease, stroke, and brain damage.
If you feel you have a sleep disorder or that you’re snoring is nothing more than “snoring” it may be a good time to see your physician for a careful evaluation.
Discover the reasons that may be behind your Excessive Sleeping today.For those sleep sufferers out there, discover what sleep machine alternatives exist today.



















