Obstructive Sleep Apnea: An Overview

There was a time not that long ago when snoring was considered a mild annoyance and not much more. While this is still the case in many instances, snoring can also be a sign of obstructive sleep apnea, a condition that can do a world of damage to an individual’s health. The insidious thing about the condition is that so many people have it and don’t even realize it. With a condition that has the potential to raise the blood sugar level of a person and even increase their risk of developing diabetes, more should be done to identify this problem earlier.

Obstructive sleep apnea, or OSA, basically means that you’re not getting the airflow you need when you go to sleep. A person has a certain conscious level of control over their breathing while they are awake. When asleep, the process goes into fully automatic mode. However, this mode is also open to some problems, as is the case with people who have the condition. It is not rare, either. Some studies have indicated that as many as 25% of men suffer from the condition and as many as 10% of females.

Unlike many conditions people face on a regular basis, obstructive sleep apnea has a direct cause and that cause is very often obesity. When there is excess fatty tissue surrounding the chest area, it creates an enormous amount of extra work for the human respiratory system. What’s worse is that the presence of that fat increases the need for more oxygen. So you have a situation where the lungs need more oxygen, yet find it more difficult than ever to get it. You can see why such a situation can lead to problems and why diabetes onset is not the only thing these sufferers need to worry about. OSA has also been linked strongly with other conditions such as heart attack and high blood pressure.

If there is any good news about obstructive sleep apnea, it is that it can be treated relatively easily. Doctors, after diagnosis, can fit the patient with a CPAP device, which can ensure the open and continuous flow of air into the subject’s lungs during sleep. There have been several studies as well that seem to indicate that losing weight may help in ridding one’s self of the condition. If you believe you may be suffering from OSA, you should set up an appointment with your doctor right away and have a sleep study performed. You could be doing immeasurable damage to your health while your sleep.