Sleep Apnea
There are actually three types of sleep apneas or breathing related disorders that have been identified in the United States. If you have ever shared a bed with someone who snores, snorts, chokes, and gasps for air, chances are they may have a sleep apnea. It can be quite disconcerting to listen to a loved one with labored breathing during sleep especially if they regularly stop breathing for periods of time. Some of these periods can last longer than a minute which in the dead of night can make you wonder if you will need to start cpr. And of course sleep apnea is not pleasant for those afflicted as if often leads to poor sleeping, restless nights, and alot of snoring.
Obstructive Sleep Apnea
Obstructive Sleep Apnea is the most common breathing related sleep disorder and is probably what most people refer to as sleep apnea. The main symptoms of obstructive sleep apnea are excessive daytime sleepiness due to poor sleep, snoring throughout the night, very loud snoring to the point of disturbing others. A person with obstructive sleep apnea may make other kinds of sounds that you could describe as a choking, gasping, or groaning sound. And as mentioned above, these disturbing sounds are punctuated by even more disturbing periods of absolute silence and a cessation of breathing.
Central Sleep Apnea
Central Sleep Apnea is less common than obstructive sleep apnea and occurs in the elderly who have had heart attacks or strokes. In these cases, there is no obstruction, but rather brain functions are impaired to a point where signals to breath are not functioning properly.
Central Alveolar hypoventilation
Central alveolar hypoventilation most commonly occurs in obese individual and the main signs of this disorder are low oxygen levels in a person's blood. Individuals with central alveolar hypoventilation syndrome may experience a drop in their blood oxygen level when they sleep. Individuals may complain of difficulty falling asleep and having a sleep that is non-restorative.
Sleep Tip
In order to get your pattern of sleep on track, try the following sleep better techniques. Go to be at the same time whether your sleepy or not. You have to get into a pattern. Pick 10:00 pm every night. It does not matter what time, just the same time. Alcohol will put you to sleep and then wake you up the rest of the night. Do not drink to go to sleep. Set the alarm and get up at the same time, weekends included. Make it a reasonable time. Do not drink liquids before you go to bed. Try and not drink about 1 hour before bedtime. It takes a certain amount of energy to remember something. This will keep you up at night. Instead, when you have a thought of something you have to do, then get up and right it down. This will release the need to remember and make it a better environment for you to sleep. Do not go to bed angry at your partner. No matter what the reason make it better. You will sooner or later anyway. Stop being stubborn, be the first to say you are sorry.