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Frequently Asked Questions?

 

 

This will be filled in using information from other sites like the American Academy of Sleep Medecine

 

 

Table of Contents

  1. What is Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA)?
  2. What causes OSA (Obstructive Sleep Apnea)?
  3. What are the signs and symptoms of OSA?
  4. What are the effects of OSA?
  5. How is OSA diagnosed?
  6. What can I do right now to help myself?

What is Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) ?

Apnea is a Greek word that means "without breath."  People with OBstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) stop breathing in their sleep.  Breathing stops because the airway relaxes and collapses.  The flow of air to th lungs is blocked.  This causes sleep to be interrupted.  People with OSA can be sleep and tired during the day.

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What causes OSA (Obstructive Sleep Apnea)?

The muscles that normally keep the airway open relax during sleep.  This causes the airway to collapse and become blocked.  Large tonsils may also create an obstruction in the airway.  The brain senses that breathing is difficult.  The work of breathing gets harder.  The brain wakes up for a few seconds.  We call this an "arousal".  The airway then stiffens up and breathing returns to normal.  The level of oxygen in your blood may drop at this time.

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What are the signs and symptoms of OSA?

> Sleepiness and/or fatigue during the day.

> Loud snoring.

> Snoring that is interrupted by pauses then gasping or choking.

> Obesity.

> Large neck.

> Crowded airway.

> High blood pressure.

> Morning headache.

> Restless sleep.

> Frequent urination at night.

> Depression

> Difficulty concentrating.

> Short term memory loss.

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What are the effects of OSA?

This repetition of falling asleep, airway collapsing, breathing getting harder and the brain waking up can cause sleep to be of poor quality.  The average number of times per hour that this occurs is called the "Respiratory Disturbance Index" (RDI).  For instance, a person's RDI may be 40.  This means that 40 times per hour their airway is collapsing and may be waking their brain up.  This interruption of sleep may result in daytime sleepiness or fatigue.

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How is OSA diagnosed?

A sleep doctor that is trained in sleep medicine will order an overnight sleep study.  This sleep test will provide the sleep doctor with information about your sleep and your breathing while you are sleeping.

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What can I do to help myself right now?

 

Sleep hygiene instructions

 

1. Sleep only as much as you need to feel refreshed during the following day.  Restricting your time in bed helps consolidate and deepen your sleep. Excessive time spent in bed
 leads to fragmented and shallow sleep. Get up at your regular time the next day, no matter how little you slept the previous night.

 

2. Get up at the same time each day, 7 days a week. .A regular wake time in the morning leads to regular times of sleep onset arid helps to set your "biological clock"

 

3. Exercise regularly especially in late afternoon or early evening. Schedule times so that they
 do not occur witlnn3 hours of when you intend to go to bed . Exercise makes it easier to initiate . and deepen your sleep.

 

4. Make sure your bedroom is comfortable and free from light and noise.  A comfortable noise free environment will reduce the likelihood that you will wake up during the night. Noise that does
 not awaken you may disturb the quality of your sleep. Carpeting, insulated curtains, and closing the door may help.

 

5.Make sure that your bedroom is at a comfortable temperature during the night. An
 excessively warm or cold sleep environment may disturb your sleep.

 

6. Eat regular meals and do not go to bed hungry. Hunger may disturb sleep. A light snack at
 bedtime may help sleep, but avoid "greasy or heavy foods",

 

7. Avoid excessive liquids in the evening. Reducing liquid intake will minimize the need for
 nighttime trips to the bathroom.

 

8. Cut down on all caffeine products. Caffeinated beverages and foods (coffee, tea, cola,  chocolate) can cause difficulty falling asleep, increase awakenings during the night, and shallow sleep. Even caffeine early in the day can disrupt nighttime sleep.

 

9. Avoid alcohol especially in the evening. Although 'alcohol may help tense people fall asleep more easily, it disrupts sleep later and causes awakenings.

 

10. Smoking may disturb sleep. Nicotine is a stimulant. Try not to smoke during the night when you have trouble.

 

11. Don't take your problems to bed. Plan some time in the early evening for working on your problems, or planning the next day's activities. Worrying may interfere with sleep initiation and may cause light sleep.

 

12. Do not try to fall asleep This only makes the problem worse Instead, turn on a dim light, leave the bedroom, and do something not requiring a lot of mental or stimulating activity (i.e. light reading). Return to bed only when you are sleepy.

 

 

13. Put the clock under the bed or turn it so that you can't see it. Clock watching often leads to frustration, anger, and worry, which will interfere with sleep.

 

14. Avoid naps. Staying awake during the day helps you to fall asleep during the night.

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