Sleep Apnea Effects

Sleep apnea is a sleeping disorder that may be best characterized as a disorder where the sufferer ceases breathing during sleep.

The episodes, respective of pauses in breathing happen many times throughout the course of the night.

Needless to say, the effects of the apnea may present symptoms where the persons awakens irritable and/or sleepy. However, that said, certainly there are many more sleep apnea effects associated with apnea than irritability and sleepiness.

Before underscoring precisely what effects result with regard to the sleep disorder, it may be useful to know the various forms of sleep apnea.

One type of sleep apnea is also the most common form - obstructive sleep apnea. Obstructive sleep apnea is where an obstruction exists within the sufferer's air passages or airways. Normally, when obstructive sleep apnea is diagnosed, the remedy provided is by way of a machine.

The air pressure generated by the machine keeps the air passageways open during sleep an helps the sufferer get a good night's sleep.

The sleep apnea patient is fitted with a CPAP mask and air pressure is applied and routed through a connecting hose. In this way, the the obstruction is addressed.

Once the air pressure is applied in significant enough measure this eliminates the apnea. The name of the device is referred to as a CPAP device and the acronym stands for Continuous Positive Airway Pressure.

The second type of sleep apnea effect is central sleep apnea. Where this apnea is different from obstructive sleep apnea lies in the fact the air passageway is not blocked or obstructed.

The reason for the apnea is breathing ceases due to an imbalance within the sufferer's neurological mechanism. Naturally, with the sufferer ceasing to breath many times during the night, problems are going to arise.

Waste gases tend to accumulate in the blood and once the sufferer is able to breathe again, he or she may compensate by means of hyperpnea which is faster breathing. The hyperpnea happens for a period of time until an apnea episode once more presents itself.

The third form of apnea is a combination of central sleep apnea and obstructive sleep apnea and termed as complex sleep apnea.

The primary sleep apnea effects include deprivation of sleep; and deprivation of oxygen. sleep deprivation not only causes problems for the sufferer of sleep apnea, but also his or her partner in bed.

The fact that the suffer of the apnea awakes often during the night, whether or not he or she remembers waking, prevents either person from receiving a restful night's sleep. In addition to the apnea events, a side-effect may include excessive perspiration.

Normally, the sufferer of sleep apnea will awaken non-refreshed and will become sleepy during the day. The effects of sleep deprivation associated with sleep apnea may include an immune system that is compromised; emotional instability and (again) irritability.

The oxygen deprivation aspect of sleep apnea effects can cause the sufferer further problems in the way of

• High blood pressure
• Issues with respect to (learning) comprehension
• Cardiovascular Disease

Also, persons who suffer from the effects of sleep apnea, are at five times greater risk of experiencing Depression. Additionally, Depression that exists can worsen if an individual suffers from sleep apnea.

Further, studies have confirmed that by effectively treating the sleep apnea, in certain cases, the depression was remedied.