Do you wake up in the middle of the night feeling short of breath? Has your partner told you that you snore or stop breathing during the night? If so, you might be experiencing sleep apnea.

During sleep apnea, the airway closes, preventing air getting through. The person actually stops breathing for between 10-120 seconds. At some point, the brain “wakes up” and realizes it isn’t getting oxygen, and tells the airway to open to let air in. This pattern repeats itself throughout the night, and is characterized by loud snoring that sounds like gasping and snorting.

Because the brain keeps waking up, a person with sleep apnea does not have restful sleep, so will feel tired and irritable throughout the day. Lack of sleep hinders concentration and can lead to more accidents on the road or in the workplace.

Sleep apnea can be extremely dangerous, and is usually a symptom of a more serious health problem, such as obesity, heart attack, stroke and hypertension. It is important to see a doctor or sleep specialist immediately if you think you may have sleep apnea.

Treatment of sleep apnea is relatively simple and depends on a person’s circumstances. Treating a medical condition like obesity (by removing weight, which restricts the airway) can cure the sleep apnea. This is usually done via with exercise and a healthy diet, but might also be treated with surgery if the problem is severe.

For other patients, the use of an oral dental appliance worn at night moves the lower jaw down and forward. This helps keep the airway open for ease of breathing.

If you believe you may have sleep apnea, it’s important to see a doctor or sleep expert as soon as possible.

About the Author

The Sleep and Insomnia Guide is a collaboration of authors who are constantly looking out for the latest information to do with insomnia and sleeping disorders. Whilst not experts on the matter they have each been affected by sleep disorders themselves or someone they know has. The Insomnia and Sleep Guide is kept up to date with regular articles as well as submitted for others to share and use.

Many people in America suffer from sleeping disorders. When most people think of sleeping disorders they think of some one who cannot sleep because they cannot stop thinking, or can’t calm their minds down enough to goto sleep, thats insomnia. But imagine not being able to breath for short periods of time while you sleep! When you sleep, your throat relaxes and starts to slide downwards, almost like collapsing, and this is what causes snoring. When it slides to far back and cuts off 80 percent of air flow or if it cuts airflow off altogether, this is called apnea.

Obstructive sleep apnea is caused by blocking the airway of the throat. In central sleep apnea, the airway is not blocked but the brain fails to signal the muscles to breathe. Mixed apnea is a combination of the two. With each apnea, the brain briefly arouses people with sleep apnea in order for them to resume breathing, but this cuts the quality of sleep and you will wake up with an unrefreshed feeling. Many tend to think that the only cure to this disorder is Continuous Positive Airway Pressure, but CPAP isnt for every one and can leave you feeling even worse. What I want to show you is how I found the ultimate cure!

Sleep Apnea effects just as many people as adult diabetes, and affects more than twelve million Americans, according to the National Institutes of Health. It can strike anyone at any age, even children. Because of the lack of awareness by the public many remain undiagnosed and therefore untreated, even though it is a serious disorder and can have great consequences.

Sleep apnea can cause high blood pressure and other cardiovascular diseases, memory loss, weight gain, chest pains, night sweats and headaches. In most cases, untreated sleep apnea can eventaully result in daily fatigue which can lead to job impairment and car crashes. Fortunately, sleep apnea can be diagnosed and treated.

Why CPAPs are bad for you:

CPAP users come into contact with problems using the machine, some feel worse once they start using the machine. CPAP machines are noisy, difficult to travel with, are cumbersome, and limit sleep positions. The daily cleaning regimen is also unpleasant with all the parts and hoses. You have enough to deal with already! Get rid of the CPAP and try our no snoring mouth guard.