Sleep Apnea – A Sleeping Epidemic

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Does taking naps make you sleep apnea worse or better> ??
My husband has sleep apnea, mild to high condition. 28 years old, smoker, 20 lbs over weight, no significant excersize daily.
What are some ways to help ruduce his tiredness, and also improve his condition??

Sorry this is long, but hopefully helpful.

There are several things that can cause sleep apnea. There are three types: obstructive sleep apnea, central sleep apnea, and mixed sleep apnea.
A blockage or narrowing of the airways in your nose, mouth, or throat generally causes obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). This usually occurs when the throat muscles and tongue relax during sleep and partially block the airway. Smoking can inflame the tissues of the throat increasing the risk of blockage. His weight can be a factor as well. This is the most common type.
Central sleep apnea is caused by a dysfunction in the thalamus area of the brain and the mechanism that controls your breathing.
Mixed apnea is a disorder that combines obstructive sleep apnea and central sleep apnea. There is both obstruction of the air passages and dysfunction of the brain.
Since there are different types and causes, for one to simply say "slim down and quit smoking and it will go away" is an ill informed response. While it is true that the situation could improve by doing this, it isn’t always the answer. Your husband need to be diagnosed if he hasn’t been already.
the most common treatment for sleep apnea is the
use of a CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) machine. You have to have a prescription from your docotor to get one.
Other treatments may include mouth pieces to keep the jaws aligned, medication to signal the mechanism to breathe, and/or surgery. Your doctor can discuss treatment options with you and your husband.
Things you and your husband can do at home (remember that sleep apnea is serious and can lead to death, so work with your doc on these):
Sew a pocket on the back of his pajama top and insert a tennis ball. This will help keep him from rolling on to his back.
Raise the head of the bed (not with pillows, but with bricks under the legs of the bed frame) at least six inches.
Try to avoid taking sedatives or drinking excessive amounts of alcohol. This can make the apnea worse and leave him more exhausted the next day.
Taking naps, to my knowledge, doesn’t affect the apnea itself, but can be disruptive of his regular sleep cycle. Sugar, caffine, and nicotine can too. It is important to try to keep a regular sleeping habit (going to bed and getting up at the same time everyday). I know this is probably hard for him since he doen’t feel rested, but it will help the body learn when to rest at proper times.

Hope the answered your question and was helpful. Again sorry so long.

Randolph C. Robinson, MD, DDS, FAACS Presented at the Third Annual Orthognathic, Orthodontic and Occlusion Symposium

Dr. Randolph C. Robinson of Robinson Cosmetic Surgery, LLC

(PRWEB) November 30, 2012

Esthetic evaluation of the face is a critical component to consider when treating patients for facial deformities even though the operations are reconstructive in nature. The facial deformities include cleft lip and palate, Treachers Collins syndrome, Goldenhar, Beckwith-Wiedemann, Crouzon, Apert, Pierre Robin, as well as temporomandibular joint (TMJ) deteriorations.

Dr. Robinson stresses that beauty is more than youthfulness and right facial proportions. It includes personality and expression. “I find by restoring youthfulness and facial proportions, the patient’s beauty is more expressed.”

Over 15 million Americans are affected by OSA and another 40 million are affected by sleep disturbance. Dr. Robinson presented a unique treatment of using jaw surgery to correct facial deficiencies that cause OSA and highlighted the results of a recent study which found that the effects of sleep apnea were reversed in 90 – 97% of patient who received this surgical treatment. The operation called maxillary-mandibular advancement (MMA) is usually reserved as a last resort for patients who cannot tolerate continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) devices. “MMA offers the only proven surgical chance for the patient to get off CPAP.”

The symposium’s keynote speaker was Professor Gideon Markman who presented “Rules for Innovation: Setting Yourself Apart” and featured clinical case studies presented by Dr. Curtis Becker, Dr. Thomas Hein, Dr. Christopher McConnell, Dr. Allen Benning, Dr. Richard Elliott, Dr. Mark Gregston, and Dr. Michele Mathews.

Dr. Randolph C. Robinson has been practicing cosmetic, oral, and orthognathic surgery for over 20 years in the Denver, Colorado area and all over the world. Dr. Robinson has received numerous awards, co-founded and is actively involved in Face the Challenge, a non-profit organization, and holds appointments in various medical programs and societies. For more information on Dr. Robinson and Robinson Cosmetic Surgery, please visit http://www.RobinsonCosmeticSurgery.com or call 303-792-2828.

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It seems odd to me that neurologists have anything to do with obstructive sleep apnea once it has been diagnosed. After all, if the disorder is all about a collapsed or blocked airway, shouldn’t it be addressed by an ear, nose and throat doctor? Or maybe a cardiologist? The neurologists I’ve had to deal with following my diagnosis have seemed a little out of sorts to be dealing with "breathing problems."

If you’re positive the diagnosis is obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and not central sleep apnea (CSA) or mixed apnea, then it gets closer to sleep or pulmonary medicine (unless your neurologist is also a sleep doctor). The more likely scenario is he suspects some central apnea is involved as this is neurological. You can ask your neurologist if he has other or differential diagnoses.

SOS Sleep Update One in Ten 6 To 8-Year-Olds Has Sleep-Disordered Breathing, Finnish Study … http://t.co/DByL5n8O #apnea #health #nap – by ScienceofSleep (Maria Vasquez)

My partner was recently diagnosed with epilepsy. After witnessing all three of his seizures I’m pretty scared. He also has sleep apnea which is the main cause of his epilepsy. At this point, I’m too scared to sleep. Considering he had his seizures in his sleep and he always stops breathing and the twitching I’m so terrified. How do I cope with this. I haven’t slept in weeks. I know he gets annoyed with my constant worry so could someone please help me?

Sleep is one of those things that is absolutely necessary for people to live full and healthy lives. It is supposed to be a source of rest as well as a way to repair the body to take on the activities the following day. However, there are some people who do not experience the kind of slumber others do. One of the disorders that is associated with sleep is a condition known as apnea seizures.

Basics
Sleep apnea is caused by the body’s inability to breathe properly during sleep. This can be caused by various factors such as obstruction of the air passages. When this occurs, the person has trouble breathing and the sleep is disturbed. Another cause for sleep apnea is the inability of the central nervous system to perform its function of regulating breathing properly. When this occurs, one of the symptoms that can manifest is seizures. The signs of seizures can range from feeling disoriented to involuntary muscle movement.

Epilepsy
Sleep apnea and epilepsy are two medical conditions that are often connected by their tendency to exacerbate the manifestation of each other. When a person experiences sleep apnea, the person is deprived of sleep because he or she tends to wake up at various times. The constant lack of sleep can decrease an epileptic patient’s ability to fight off the occurrence of a seizure. On the other hand, the medication taken to treat epilepsy has side effects that affect the respiratory functions of the central system as well as relaxing the air passages. Thus, this can cause a predisposition to sleep apnea. Both of these conditions tend to cause seizures for people.

Evaluation
Apnea seizures can happen to anyone and at any particular point. However, there are some people who are more prone to experiencing it. For example, apnea more commonly occurs in men. People who snore or are overweight also have a higher risk of experiencing apnea seizures. The reason behind this is that they are the ones who have more trouble getting enough oxygen in their systems while they sleep.

Effects
Sleep apnea seizures can take a major toll on the body. People who experience involuntary movement while they sleep tend to wake up tired and without energy in the morning. A headache is also most likely to set in. Besides the inconvenience of exhaustion, the effects of apnea seizures can also be life-threatening. The deprivation of sleep over prolonged periods of time can cause cardiac arrhythmia, or the irregular beating of the heart.

Treatment
Doctors recommend an overall healthy lifestyle when it comes to lessening apnea seizures. Weight loss and regular exercise is needed because it will help the body regulate the oxygen it uses. Thus, the cause of sleep apnea, which is abnormal respiration, can be eliminated or lessened. In some extreme cases, surgery may be resorted to in order to tear sleep apnea and the seizures that accompany it. A procedure called the tracheostomy, which involves the removal of any obstructing uvula, can be performed.

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Richard P breathes about once a minute. It’s hard to watch, remember to breathe.

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