Sleep Apnea

Sleep Apnea: A disease the owner may not realize they have, as they sleep through it. However, day time finds these people sleep deprived, with all the usual hallmarks of lack of sleep; such as sluggishness, irritability, and poor concentration skills. Lack of sleep also has grave social consequences too: poor performance at tasks, more car accidents, and other injuries when engaged with machinery, to name a few.

Usually, if the person sleeps with or near someone else, they are the ones who recognize the symptoms of sleep apnea. There is a period of no breathing (sometimes lasting a minute or more) followed by a very loud snore/gasp. This may occur multiple times in an hour. Sometimes, the person will waken themselves, but usually they just drift into a lighter stage of sleep where conscious respirations can take place (ie. Period of very loud snore/gasp).

Restless sleep, heavy irregular breathing, and tiredness during the day are the obvious symptoms of sleep apnea, but even excessive perspiring during sleep, severe bedwetting, and bad dreams (nightmares) can be related to this problem. The list of conditions that can be associated with sleep apnea is long and surprising.

You know that your partner is snoring and gasping for breath at night, but is it something to be worried about? Yes, it most definitely can lead to very serious problems, and not just being tired during the day. It can cause irritability or mood changes, poor concentration or memory loss, and lowered sex drive. Men, women, and child can have it and not know it.