Definition of Apnea – without breath
Sleep Apnea is a condition where you stop breathing while you sleep.
– Obstructive Sleep Apnea is where the airway is blocked by the tongue or an enlarged neck constricting the airway.
– A person with sleep apnea stops breathing repeatedly while sleeping anywhere from 10 seconds to as long as 3 minutes. This occurs anywhere between 1 to 100 times per hour.
– 1 out of 5 adults have some form of sleep apnea.
– Due to the disruption of your sleep pattern, you do not have a quality restful sleep.
– 1/3 of your life is spent sleeping. When you do not sleep well, it effects the other two thirds of your life.
If left untreated Severe Obstructive Sleep Apnea will:
– Increase your risk of having a heart attack or stroke by 23 times
– Increase your blood pressure
– Lead to depression
– Affect Type II Diabetes
– Leads to grown and developmental issues in children
Signs and Symptoms:
– Excessive tiredness + sleepiness
– Loud snoring
– Difficulty concentrating
– Frequent morning headaches
– Excessive tooth wear
– Sudden gasping for breath while asleep
– GERD (Gastro-Esophageal Reflux Disease)
Diagnosis:
– A sleep study is performed to analyze how many times and the degree in which you stop breathing. (This can be done at a sleep lab or at home)
– You will be scored as mild, moderate or severe.
Treatment:
– CPAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure)
– MAD (Mandibular Advancement Device) Fabricated by your dentist
– Combination CPAP + MAD for severe cases
Celebrity deaths due to Sleep Apnea
– Carrie Fisher
– Jerry Garcia
– Amanda Peterson
– John Candy
– Justin Tennison from Deadliest Catch (only 33 years old)
– Reggie White
– Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia
