Obstructive Sleep Apnoea, which may also be known as OSA, is a sleep disorder which causes frequent interruptions in the breathing as the sufferer sleeps. The medical profession has two types of interruptions to the breathing: total blockages and partial blockages. Total blockages, referred to as apnoeas are caused when the tissue around the windpipe relaxes to such an extent that it completely blocks the air flow for ten seconds or more. Partial blockages, or hypopnoeas, are defined as blockages which reduce airflow by 50% for ten seconds or more.
Because sleep is a natural restorative activity which helps the brain and body to become re-energised, anything that limits an individual's sleep will leave that person feeling very tired. Most adults need between seven and eight hours of sleep each night, and around one fifth of that time is spent in the deepest part of the sleep cycle. Each interruption in breathing alerts the brain to the fact that something is amiss and this forces the brain to bring the individual into a lighter stage of sleep or even into a brief moment of wakefulness. Because these events can happen several times per hour throughout the night, sleep is seriously restricted, leaving sufferers combating day to day tiredness and irritability.
During the night, when the sufferer is awoken, the moment of wakefulness is so short that few people recall that they were even awake. This presents the problem that not many sufferers realise that anything is wrong for a long time and they often become accustomed to the tiredness that comes with the condition. It is thought that only around one quarter of sufferers have been diagnosed for this reason. Because loud snoring and snorting during sleep are common symptoms of obstructive sleep apnoea, some patients are only diagnosed when their partner expresses concern and persuades them to visit the doctor.
There are several types of treatment for the disorder, and many of them are very successful. It is important that anybody who suspects that they have obstructive sleep apnoea should seek treatment because in the long term it increases the risk of a number of serious conditions such as type two diabetes, strokes and heart attacks. Diagnosis is usually made by means of a sleep study and those people who smoke or who are overweight and are middle aged are in the higher risk category for developing obstructive sleep apnoea.
To find out more about obstructive sleep apnoea and the various treatment options available, visit the website of DeVilbiss Healthcare. They are a global healthcare company specialising in the treatment of sleep disorders. Their website can be found here: http://www.devilbisshc.com/
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