Factors You Can and Can't Control in Regards to Sleep Apnea

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More Sleep Apnea Information

Factors You Can and Can't Control in Regards to Sleep Apnea

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sleep problems and solutions for sleep apnea

Important Sleep Apnea Information

Recognizing the Signs and Symptoms of Sleep Apnea
Not everyone is automatically aware of the fact that they suffer from sleep apnea. This sleep disorder can range from mild to moderate to severe. Sometimes it takes a spouse or other family member to recognize the signs and make the...more info on Sleep Apnea
Sleep Apnea - The Facts About This Important Sleep Disorder
Do you suffer from sleep apnea or other sleep disorders? Discover how you to can get a good night's sleep in this informative article Sleep apnea is a common problem in the adult population, and is...more info on Sleep Apnea
Understanding Sleep Apnea
Sleep disorders are part of a broad category encompassing of variety of conditions that affect sleep. Some sleep disorders, like insomnia, prevent sleep from occurring at all. Sleep apnea is different. Instead of keeping you awake,...more info on Sleep Apnea
Who Suffers from Sleep Apnea and What Can be Done About It?
Sleep apnea is a serious medical problem. Those who suffer from the cessation of breathing can experience what is referred to as "apneic events" anywhere from ten to thirty seconds each time it happens. Those who suffer from severe...more info on Sleep Apnea

Sleep Apnea Symptoms and Types

The Trouble With Snoring and Sleep Apnea

Learning to Live with Sleep Apnea

3 Little Known Tips for Helping with Sleep Apnea Research

Sleep Apnea And Snoring

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The health implications that can result from sleep apnea can be very serious. According to the National Commission on Sleep Disorders Research, approximately 38,000 deaths on a yearly basis relating to cardiovascular problems have to do with sleep apnea. It is estimated that twenty million Americans suffer from sleep apnea in one form or another. This works out to be an average of twenty-four percent of males and nine percent of females. Approximately six million of these individuals have severe sleep apnea that requires medical attention. The number might in actuality be higher as many people who suffer from sleep apnea are not even aware of their condition. Sleep apnea is still a bit of a mystery among doctors and health care professionals and researchers are constantly conducting studies to help them understand it better.

There are some risk factors associated with sleep apnea that a person cannot help and others that fall under the category of preventable factors. Let's take a closer look at both kinds of risk factors.

First we will look at the risk factors that we have no control over whatsoever. Age plays a role, as sleep apnea is more likely to afflict those over the age of thirty. Sleep apnea is more common in men than women. Some studies done on the subject have yielded the results that two to three times more males have the disorder than females while other studies have gone even farther by saying that five or six times more men suffer from it than women. If someone in your family suffers from sleep apnea then family history dictates that you might be more likely to develop the condition. Some races such as Black, Hispanics as well as Pacific Islanders are more prone to developing sleep apnea while Caucasians are less likely. Studies have proven that Black people tend to develop sleep apnea at an earlier age than do Caucasians.

Those who suffer from scoliosis or other types of spinal deformities sometimes develop breathing interruptions that can lead to sleep apnea. Medical conditions such as Down's syndrome or Marfan's syndrome that relate to craniofacial abnormalities can increase a person's chances of developing sleep apnea. Menopause in some cases seems to increase a woman's chances of suffering from sleep apnea. In fact the rate of sleep apnea in women is higher for those who are presently going through menopause or for those who have already been through it as opposed to women who have not reached it yet. Apparently after menopause passes, males and females have an equal chance of developing the sleeping disorder.

One of the greatest factors that contribute to sleep apnea is obesity and obesity is a factor that can be controlled. On average seventy percent of individuals who suffer from sleep apnea are overweight or obsess. Losing weight is one way to lower your chances of experiencing sleep apnea. Consuming liquor and/or taking medicines such as sedatives or sleeping pills (prescription or not) directly before bedtime can increase a person's chances of falling victim to sleep apnea. Smoking can contribute to the sleeping problem as the nicotine in cigarettes relaxes the muscles that make it possible for air to pass through. If you sleep with more than one pillow or an oversized pillow and also if you sleep on your back regularly this could make sleep apnea become progressively worse.

Written by: Scott Parat

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