Sleep apnea!! 

Sleep apnea is a potentially serious sleep disorder in which breathing repeatedly stops and starts. If you snore loudly and feel tired even after a full night's sleep, you might have sleep apnea. 

The main types of sleep apnea are 

1. Obstructive sleep apnea, the more common form that occurs when throat muscle relax. 
2. Central sleep apnea, which occurs when your brain doesn't send proper signals to the muscles that control breathing. 
3. Complex sleep apnea syndrome, also known as treatment-emergent central sleep apnea, which occurs when someone has both obstruction sleep apnea and central sleep apnea. 

What are symptoms: 

The signs and symptoms of obstructive sleep apnea and central sleep apnea overlap, sometimes making it difficult to determine which type you have. The most common signs and symptoms of obstructive sleep apnea and central sleep apnea include; 

• Loud snoring 
• Episodes in which you stop breathing during sleep- which would be reported by another person 
• Gasping for air during sleep 
• Awakening with dry mouth 
• Morning headache 
• Difficulty staying asleep (insomnia) 
• Excessive daytime sleepiness 
• Difficulty paying attention while awake 
• Irritability 

Causes 

Obstructive sleep apnea 

This occurs when the muscles in the back of your throat relax. These muscles support the soft palate, the triangular piece of tissue hanging from the soft palate (uvula), the tonsils, the side walls of the throat and the tongue.

 When the muscles relax, your airway narrows or closes as you breathe in. You can't get enough air, which can lower the oxygen level in your blood. Your brain senses your inability to breathe and briefly rouses you from sleep so that you can reopen your airway. This awakening is usually so brief that you don't remember it.

 You might snort, choke or gasp. This pattern can repeat itself five to 30 times or more each hour, all night, impairing your ability to reach the deep, restful phases of sleep.

Central sleep apnea 

This less common form of sleep apnea occurs when your brain fails to transmit signals to your breathing muscles. This means that you make no effort to breathe for a short period. You might awaken with shortness of breath or have a difficult time getting to sleep or staying asleep.

Risk factors 

Sleep apnea can affect anyone, seven children. But certain factors increase your risk. 

Obstructive sleep apnea 

• Excess weight. 
• Neck circumference. 
• A narrowed airway. 
• Being male. 
• Being older. 
• Family history. 
• Use of alcohol, sedatives or tranquilizers. 
• Smoking.
• Nasal congestion. 
• Medical conditions. 

Central sleep apnea 

• Being older. 
• Being male. 
• Heart disorders. 
• Using narcotic pain medications. 
• Stroke. 

Complications 

1. Daytime fatigue 
2. High blood pressure 
3. Heart problems 
4. Type 2 diabetes 
5. Metabolic syndrome 
6. Complications with medication and surgery 
7. Liver problems 
8. Sleep deprived partners 

Link between sleep apnea and weight gain!! 

OSA and weight gain appear to have a somewhat cyclical relationship. Studies have demonstrated that obesity increases the risks of developing OSA, and that losing weight may help reduce the risk of developing sleep apnea. At the same time, treating sleep apnea may help stimulate weight loss.

 Additionally, being obese can put you at a higher risk of developing sleep apnea.

"As the body gains weight, more tissue can be found on or around the throat. This makes apnea events more common.

Sleep loss from sleep apnea can also reduce your body's ability to lose weight efficiently. Studies have shown that even when placed on low-calorie diets, individuals that are sleep deprived lost 55% less weight from fat than individuals that were on the same diet but had sufficient sleep,” Rohrscheib says