Raising Public Awareness of Sleep Apnea

According to research obtained from the  National Heart, Lung and Blood Institutes, including the National Institute of Health, it is essential to gain knowledge of the effects of Sleep Apnea  to anyone’s health.

To begin with, knowledge of the disorder can give increased awareness of its’ relationship to other illnesses such as hypertension, cardiac disease, etc. Sleep Apnea has also been linked to other types of conditions such as irregular heartbeats, depression, and myocardial infarctions (heart attacks).

To add further to the list, obesity, and diabetes Mellitus(Type 2), sleepiness during daytime, and more have been associated with Sleep Apnea. Sleepiness during daytime, in particular,  is dangerous because when people do their ADLs (Activities of Daily Living), such as driving, they can fall asleep on the wheel which could lead to disaster.

Over 60% of Asian men, researchers say, are known to be suffering from some type of Sleep Apnea, be it mild, moderate, or severe. This phenomenon  continues to baffle many sleep experts and physicians. The main question then, is why there is this prevalence of Sleep Apnea in this particular demographic.

With greater awareness, easy to do Home testing,  CPAP machines and other various treatment options, Sleep Apnea can be controlled.

As the old adage goes, “the best things in life are free”. We can say the same thing about Sleep – it is free. We just need to know whether we’re getting free GOOD sleep or not.

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The Best Sleeping Position to Sleep

Over the years, many of us, either by habit, or the way we were raised, have fallen into a pattern of being able to sleep in only one particular position.

These positions are, but not limited to:

1) the supine position – which is basically sleeping on your back. This may seem ideal for some, but it is actually not the most ideal position  especially if you suffer from COPD, or ill with a URTI (Upper Respiratory Tract Infection) not to mention anyone with back problems;

2) the Fowlers position – which is basically sleeping upright, or something akin to sleeping on a “sitting” position. This position is  ideal for some, especially for people suffering from COPD or URTI, as gravity forces matter down from your airway passages (such as mucus), enabling you to breathe better with no airway impairments;

3) the prone position – which is basically sleeping on your stomach. This is probably one of the worse positions to sleep in as it forces pressure on your airways when there is weight pressing against it, inhibiting breathing and aggravating any sleep order one may have; and

4)Sleeping on your side at a low Fowler’s position – the most ideal position to sleep as it exerts the least amount of pressure on your airways, allowing good airflow passage, and may actually be good for those with back problems. This is the most ideal position to get a good night’s sleep or if you suffer from sleep apnea.

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The CPAP machine

Continuous Positive Airway Pressure or  CPAP

CPAP, or Continuous positive airway pressure  is a machine use for treatment of Sleep Apnea in which a mask is worn over the nose and/or mouth while you sleep. The mask is then connected up to a machine that brings a continuous flow of air into your nose/mouth. Positive pressure from air flowing into the nostrils from the CPAP machine enables the airways to stay open so that you can continue to breathe while you sleep. CPAP is considered by many experts to be the “Gold standard” in effective treatment for sleep apnea.

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Behavioral Modifications for Sleep Apnea

In cases of sleep apnea that are mild, a conservative therapy regime may be all that is necessary to prevent the disorder.  Some of these Conservative approaches are:

• Controlling your weight and counting your calorie intake
• Stop smoking, because smoking increases the swelling to your upper respiratory track system, which can cause obstruction, and by extension, sleep apnea.
• Be knowledgeable of the best sleeping positions to enhance your breathing and airway exchange. ( Sleeping on a “supine” position may actually increase obstruction and interfere with breathing, while sleeping on “Fowlers” position helps breathing in keeping any matter away from your airways by gravity)
• Avoid alcohol, and using sleeping pills only as a last resort.

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Foods that Promote Sleep

Knowing which foods will help you go into a good deep slumber and which ones that won’t will help you make informed choices to get the best chance for some rest. Here are a few tips that we will suggest:

Look for Tryptophan-Rich Foods

Tryptophan – This is a substance with known sleep inducing properties. Eating foods rich with this substance helps you get precious amounts of sleep, without reaching for the usual sleep aids produced by the drug companies. Looking around, they are not hard to find. Even more, they are far less expensive than buying medication, which we all know could be habit forming and expensive.

Milk – Remember a time when your mom or dad gave you a warm glass of milk so you could get  a good night’s sleep? Well, it really isn’t an old wive’s tale, and milk’s ability to send you off meeting the sandman is in fact, supported by fact: Milk is rich in Tryptophan. In fact, most, if not all dairy products are filled with Tryptophan. There are other natural foods rich with this substance, and they include poultry, bananas, honey, oats, and more.

Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates complement dairy products rich with Tryptophan like peanut butter and jelly. Foods like bread, cereal, crackers, or cheese enhances the sleep inducing substance Tryptophan in your bloodstream. The End result? Better Sleep.

Bedtime Snacks

If you are a chronic insomniac, some late night snack may actually do the trick to get you some sleep. A bit of caution on the snacks though, keep them light, and not too heavy. Heavy meals tend to make the food sit on your stomach over the night and may actually tax your digestive system especially when your body is at rest.

Avoid high fat foods!

Here is another reason for you to avoid high fat foods. Extensive studies show that high fat foods, like burgers, fries, hotdogs, etc. not only disrupt your sleep cycle – they also are one of the culprits in weight gain.

Not to make this piece of advice too long, we suggest that you go to bed not necessarily with an empty stomach, but with right type of foods that can make you obtain sleep easier, not gain weight, and ultimately avoid illnesses by getting the proper diet, and the proper amount of sleep which allows your body cells to regenerate and keep you healthy.

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Sleep Symptom Checker

Are you getting enough sleep? Find out with our Sleep Symptom Checker. Unfortunately, there are sleep disorders that can affect the quality of life and in some cases threaten life. It is important to know and identify if you are at risk for these disorders and to learn, if you have symptoms, or if you have a sleep disorder.

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Home Apnea Tests Appear Reliable

Sleep apnea is a serious sleep disorder that affects over 10 million Americans, with just as many estimated to be undiagnosed with the condition.  Sleep apnea causes loud snoring and breathing to stop briefly during sleep.  People with sleep apnea may awaken many times during the night gasping for air.  A person may experience up to 300 episodes each night.  Sleep apnea is dangerous because it causes reduced blood oxygen levels that contribute to daytime drowsiness and can cause high blood pressure, stroke, heart attack, and death.  Fortunately, sleep apnea is easy to diagnose with a sleep study and can be treated.  Traditional sleep study evaluations require people to spend the night at a sleep study center.  While this is still an option, home sleep study tests are a convenient alternative, and the results are reliable.

The home sleep study test consists of using Holter oximetry.  The device is used to record episodes of heart stress, the level of oxygen in the blood, and their relationship to each other. Patients are instructed on how to use the device and return it for the results to be reviewed.  Talk to your doctor if you suspect that you might have sleep apnea, and ask if a home sleep study is appropriate for you.

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A Happy Marriage = Happy Sleep

Are you a happily married woman?  If so, research shows that you are more likely to have a better quality of sleep than other women.  Sleep is very important to a woman’s health and function.  Women should have seven to eight hours of quality sleep each night.  However, for some women, many factors, including marriage strife, stress, hormone changes, and depression, can contribute to sleep problems.  Women may have trouble falling asleep and remaining asleep or they may wake up too early in the morning.

Researchers have already demonstrated that divorced women tend to have more sleep problems than married women.  To find out more about the sleep quality of married women, researchers at the University of Pittsburgh surveyed a large number of married women with an average age of 46.  They found that happily married women slept better than unhappily married women, but only for Caucasian women in the study.  Why this is true for just Caucasian women and not women of minority groups in the study is not known, but sets a premise for future research.

If you are a woman, married or unmarried, and have difficulty sleeping, talk to your doctor about your concerns.  There are many solutions for poor sleep, and your doctor is happy to recommend treatments and lifestyle changes that can help you.

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The Importance of Sleep

Sleep is a vital element of life, just like eating and breathing. Sleep allows your body to rest. During sleep, many necessary actions take place in your body. For example, your muscles and tissues grow and repair. Your brain is busy regulating hormones and storing memories. A lack of quality sleep interferes with the body’s natural functions and can even contribute to disease. A good night’s sleep is necessary for your body to recharge and revitalize so you can feel alert and productive the next day.

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