Sleep apnea is a breathing condition that affects millions of people worldwide. It affects breathing, especially at night, often causing the sufferer to stop breathing and wake up. Symptoms that point to it are innocuous enough by themselves, but combined, they can become life threatening. Sleepiness during the day, trouble concentrating, or waking suddenly in the night can disturb your life in ways you may not even be able to imagine.
Mild cases are usually shrugged off as just bad sleep, while more severe cases can cause enough loss of sleep to affect your daily life. Living with the condition isn't as difficult as you might think, however, as there are treatments available for both mild and severe cases.
Treatments vary widely, but one of the first and easiest things to do to is to make small lifestyle changes. This condition affects overweight people disproportionately, and even a small weight loss can reduce the number of apneatic events. Sufferers should avoid the use of alcohol, and seemingly counterintuitively, sleeping pills. Regular exercise and a healthy diet can also help reduce the number and severity of episodes.
A more severe case of sleep apnea may require more severe treatments. Along with the previously mentioned lifestyle adjustments, you and your doctor may choose a mechanical option. A CPAP machine (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure) provides a constant flow of air to keep your airways open while sleeping. A variety of masks are available to fit anyone's face and sleep styles.
Extremely severe cases of sleep apnea may require corrective surgery to alleviate the symptoms. Surgery is usually reserved for the most severe cases, in people with deformed sinus tissue, or if their jaw and tongue work together to block the flow of air. A surgical operation is only considered after the apnea has failed to respond to less intrusive methods.
Whether you choose to use a different pillow, sleep in a different position, or hook yourself up to a machine that helps you breath, getting treatment for sleep apnea can save your life. If you're tired all the time, snore excessively, or wake up with severe headaches or heart palpitations, you may be in need of treatment and should see a doctor. There is no need to suffer from this condition when you can live with it relatively comfortably.
Sleep apnea in Santa Fe is treatable if you seek out the right help. Learn more about it at http://www.tcfdm.com/