Snoring is something that not only spoils the sleep of your partner but leaves you embarrassed while travelling or any family gatherings. It is more popular among males but these days, women are also facing this issue. The problem only worsens with age and weight. On the other hand, the person suffering from Sleep Apnoea not only affects his and his partner's sleep but puts his life at risk.

Difference Between Sleep Apnoea And Snoring:

There is a huge difference between just Snorers and those suffering from Sleep Apnoea. Sleep Apnoea almost always results in frequent and loud snoring, while disturbing the breathing pattern. This leads the person suffering from Sleep Apnoea to feel tired even after long sleeping hours.

While Sleep Apnoea will almost always lead to loud snoring, snoring alone does not mean that one is suffering from Sleep Apnoea.



Causes And Symptoms

Snoring

  When a person sleeps, the throat muscles relax and the tongue bends backwards. This narrows down the throat to some extent.
  As the person keeps inhaling and exhaling, the throat muscles vibrate. These vibrations lead to snoring. The narrower the throat becomes, the more are the vibrations and the sound.
  The throat muscles tend to relax more with age. This is why snoring usually increases with age.
  If a person has obstructions in the form of Tonsils, Nasal polyps or Deviated nasal septum, the narrowing gets worse and leads to extensive snoring.
  If there is an inflammation in the throat or nose due to some infection or allergy, the throat may become narrower and result in loud snoring.
  In some people, sleeping positions like sleeping on the back or otherwise may abate snoring.
  Alcohol consumption during evening time may abate throat muscle relaxation and give rise to snoring.

Sleep Apnoea

  It is better described as episodes of pauses in breathing for more than 10 seconds at a time.
  The immediate cause of Sleep Apnoea is extensive narrowing or complete collapse of the upper airway.
  As breathing is paused temporarily, it causes a shortfall of Oxygen in blood. As it happens, the heart works harder to make up for it, even when the person is sleeping. This increases the risk of heart attack and stroke.
  It causes disturbance in the natural sleep cycle.

Treatment

Snoring

  Avoidance of risk factors like various allergies
  Correction of sleeping position with training

Sleep Apnoea

  The most common treatment is CPAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure). This is a mask like device worn on the nose before sleep. It keeps the upper airway open with a small positive pressure delivered.
  There is also the option of Uvulopalatopharyngoplasty. This is a surgical intervention to remove excess of soft palate tissue and open up the airway. The remaining tissue becomes stiff and thus minimize vibration.
  If there is a Tonsil or Deviated Nasal Septum or Nasal Polyp, it needs to be resected out in order to minimize obstruction to the airway.

Snoring and Sleep Apnoea are very common issues and can be treated by experienced doctors very easily.

Ways to diagnose snoring and sleep apnoea:

The doctors ask about the allergies you are suffering from, as well as your eating patterns, medicines and drinking and smoking habits. The doctor also examines your throat and nasal passages to ascertain if there are any kind of nasal, dental, mouth jaw, or throat deformities that are triggering your snoring. If your doctor will feel that you may be suffering from sleep apnoea, then your partner may be asked to keep a diary noting your sleeping and snoring patterns.

Polysomnography and CPAP Titration are some other ways through which the doctors diagnose sleep apnoea.

Polysomnography: Polysomnography, also called a sleep study, is a type of test that is conducted to diagnose sleep disorders. In this test, the doctors record the brain waves, the oxygen level in the blood, heart rate and breathing, as well as eye and leg movements of the patient.

CPAP Titration: A CPAP titration study is a type of in-lab sleep study that is carried out to calibrate continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy. It is a common treatment that is used to manage sleep-related breathing disorders including obstructive sleep apnea, central sleep apnea and hypoventilation and hypoxemia.

In case you find out that you are suffering from snoring or sleep apnoea, you should immediately visit a pulmonologist to get the proper treatment. 

Snoring And Sleep Apnoea - How To Get Rid Of Them?

Sleep apnoea is a kind of disease that can affect people of any age and is basically a kind of sleep disorder. The person suffering from sleep apnoea may feel extremely tired and fatigued even after having a full night s sleep and his snoring may become extremely loud which is again a serious problem.

What are the symptoms of sleep apnoea?

There can be many cases where the symptoms of central sleep apnoea and complex sleep apnoea may be overlapping which makes it a bit difficult to get diagnosed properly. But, there are certain very basic symptoms of sleep apnoea.
Very loud snoring is a basic characteristic of patients with sleep apnoea.
The patient may suffer from regular episodes of cessation when they are sleeping as might be pointed out by other people.
The patient may awaken from sleep regularly due to shortness of breath and problems in the sleeping order.
The patient suffering from sleep apnoea may wake up from sleep with a very dry mouth and or a sore throat.
The patient may suffer from a bad headache often and in many unfortunate cases, the patients may also suffer from insomnia which is the problem of sleeplessness.
Patients of sleep apnoea suffer from intense problems of irritability and bouts of morning sleepiness.
Shortness of breath may intensify in a patient so much so that the person may get awakened from sleep gasping for air as if choking.
Excessive bouts of daytime sleeping may cause a person to perform very poorly in his work as well.
It is at these times when a patient should immediately consult a doctor for a proper treatment and further solution to this problem.

Causes of sleep apnea

Obstructive sleep apnoea is caused when the muscle in our throat starts relaxing. It is this muscle that gives support to the triangular piece of tissue that hangs from the uvula which is the soft palate and the side walls of the tongue. Basically, when this muscle relaxes, the airways in the body gets narrowed as a result of which the blood does not get enough oxygen which is required for proper breathing. It is then that the brain starts sending signals to get up from sleep so that the nasal passage can be reopened for sufficient amount of oxygen.
There can also be cases where the brain is unable to send a proper signal to the muscles that help us to breath as a result of which a person does not breathe for a certain period of time. This, in turn, makes the patient awaken abruptly from sleep with shortness of breath and the patient finds it difficult to fall asleep.


Sleep Apnea - Know The Common Signs Of It!

Sleep is a vital component of the human construct. This is the time when the body restores  itself. While too little sleep can be dangerous for the body, new research has shown that too much sleep has its pitfalls too. Oversleeping is an indication of certain health risk. It also indicates few medical conditions that a person might have. Here is more on the risks of oversleeping:

Difficult to get pregnant: A study conducted by a Korean research team in the year 2013 found that out of a sample size of 650 women who were undergoing in-vitro fertilization, the ones who got pregnant had 7-8 hours of daily sleep. The study also suggested that sleep can affect menstrual cycles, circadian rhythms, and hormone secretion. While research is yet to find out a direct co-relation between sleep and infertility, a number of researchers are trying to break the jinx.
Risk of diabetes: A Quebec study conducted in 2013 clearly showed that a person who sleeps for more than eight hours in a day is more risk prone to suffer from type 2 diabetes and reduced glucose tolerance. On a six-period time frame, people who sleep for more than 7-8 hours, are more likely to suffer from diabetes related complication, even if they keep body mass under control.
Mental health and depression: Depression is a major symptom of oversleeping. While people with depression tend to suffer from insomnia, an estimated 15 percent patients suffering from depression tend to oversleep. Compared to regular sleepers, the ones who oversleep tend to suffer from anxiety symptoms and persistent depression. A recent study has revealed that sleeping too much can increase the chances of genetic heritability. Another study revealed that people who sleep for more than 10 hours can result in mental illness. Another research conducted at the John Hopkins Medical School revealed that an irregularity of the body s sleeping clock can lead to temporary mental depression.
Increased inflammation: Oversleeping can increase the risk of certain diseases such as the Alzheimer s disease, cardiovascular disease etc. A study conducted by a group of researchers revealed that women who slept for more than eight hours are likely to suffer from 44 percent higher C-reactive protein. Another study reported that C-reactive increased by more than 8 percent for every hour of additional sleep an individual takes.
More pain: While sleep and rest are often associated with healing, oversleeping can, at times, exacerbate symptoms. Spending too much time in bed can aggravate back and shoulder pain. Oversleeping is also associated with a higher frequency of headaches. Oversleeping often triggers one-sided migraine and increases the level of stress in a person.

Sleeping More Than 8 Hours - How It Can Put Your Health At Risk?

Just like there are exercises to lose weight, there are simple exercises, which you can do to stop your snoring completely. Snoring is a common condition and it generally takes place more in men than women. It mostly affects individuals who are overweight and the condition gets worsened with age. Though it is not a serious condition, it has to be dealt as it affects the sleep of your sleeping partner. The main cause of snoring is an improper flow of air through the mouth or nose. 

The airflow to the nose is obstructed by factors like:
1. Obesity
2. Pregnancy
3. Genetic factors
4. Sinus Infection
5. Congestion

How to Prevent Snoring
It is very essential that prior attention is given to this condition before it turns out to be a serious problem. The self help  tips that can be used by individuals to stop snoring include proper exercising, losing weight, quitting smoking and not drinking alcohol as well as setting up an ideal sleeping pattern. There are devices available in the pharmaceutical stores like the mouth guard device which are specially designed to help stop snoring. There are medications also available that help to stop snoring and have good quality  sleep.

Amazing and Simple Exercises to Stop Snoring
You can cure your snoring problem easily by practicing vocal exercises without the need of even going through a painful and expensive surgery.

1. Singing: Singing is an excellent exercise that is very good for your vocal passage and that can cure the snoring problem. It is best that you start singing in a warm shower and the moist steam of the warm water would soothe your throat. The benefit of singing is that it tightens the muscles and it is an excellent and natural way that would cure your sleeping problem. You can practice singing at least 20 minutes in a day, and you would surely experience the difference.

2. Yawning: The second simple exercise that can be done to stop snoring is yawning, which involves opening and closing of your mouth. The exercise done in a yawning motion would strengthen both the inner and outer neck muscles. It is very necessary that the mouth is opened widely, and this activity can be done anytime of the day.

3. Chewing: The third exercise that is helpful to get relief from sleep disorders is chewing. You can fix your throat by chewing the tip of a pencil.  You don't have to bite the pencil, and you just need to fix your throat muscles to make certain that your airway is clear.

Stop Snoring With 3 Best and Simple Exercises

Six hours of sleep daily is as important as the food you consume and the amount of exercise you do, in a day. Poor sleep can lead to reduced concentration the next day coupled with low productivity. Thus, it is necessary to get at least 6 to 8 hours of sleep daily.


Here are few benefits of getting the required amount of sleep every night:
Sleeping improves memory: Lack of sleep has negative effect on your brain, which affects your memory and retention. If you sleep more, you are more likely to retain things because in your sleep, your mind goes over everything you ve read when you were awake. This process is called consolidation. Thus, an optimum amount of sleep helps you retain whatever you have learnt during the day better.
Stimulates creativity: Getting sleep for the required number of hours is a necessity as your creativity levels are bound to soar after some good rest. Working relentlessly without a break in between can lead to saturation in your creativity levels. Thus, rest is a requisite for a spur of creativity.
Reduces stress levels: Not sleeping enough adds even more strain on your brain. Sleep deprivation increases stress, which adds to the blood pressure level and cholesterol in the blood, putting you at risks of suffering from coronary diseases. Thus, to keep your heart health intact, it is important to sleep for at least six hours, which is a minimum requirement for your body to rest.
Leads to weight loss: Sleep deprivation can lead to an alteration in your hormone levels, which activates the cortisol (a fat producing hormone), thereby, leading to obesity. It also leads to negative modifications in your diet and a lethargic approach to your regular exercise routine. Thus, the easiest hack to lose weight is to get adequate sleep at night.


Because the benefits you gain out of sleeping for a minimum of six hours are invaluable, you should aspire to give your body the rest it deserves.

Why You Should Sleep for 6 Hours Everyday?

Why Sleep Deprivation Can Be Hazardous

Exams, work, parties, stress, worries – there numerous reasons because of which we do not sleep well and begin the next day sleep deprived. At times, this extends to multiple times in a week and before we realize, it poses bigger health health hazards than you can imagine.

10 health hazards sleep deprivation can lead to-

1) Induces Accidents - If you haven’t slept well the night before, you are bound to be drowsy. It is extremely unsafe to drive when sleepy, as this puts you at a high risk of meeting with an accident. Not just while driving, there are known to be more accidents inside the office, when one is sleep deprived.
2) Makes You Dumb - When sleep deprived, our senses are not alert. And when our senses are not alert, our brain slackens. Lack of sleep impairs attention, reasoning, concentration, and reasoning. It takes us time to grasp situations and facts, we tend to be dumb.
3) Poses Serious Health Threats - Sleep disorders are known to cause heart attack, heart disease, heart failure, irregular heartbeat, stroke, diabetes, insomnia and high blood pressure.
4) Dip in Sex Drive - Sleep deprivation depletes one’s energy and increases tension in the mind. This leads to lack of concentration and a massive dip in one’s sex drive. Both men and women are known to express lowered interest in sex when they are sleep deprived.
5) Ages Your Skin - We all know that one sleepless night gives us puffy eyes and sallow skin. However, chronic sleep disorder also results in fine lines, dark circles under the eyes and lackluster skin. Human growth hormones are released while we sleep. So the lesser one sleep, the lesser is the hormone released. And thus affects our skin.
6) Leads To Depression - Depression feeds on insomnia and vice versa. While good sleep at regular intervals is known to calm the senses and helps treat depression, lack of sleep at times aggravates the symptoms of depression.
7) Makes You Forgetful - When sleep deprived, one tends to be forgotten. Not a surprise since due to lack of sleep, one is not alert as it is. Scientifically explained, one needs to be in deep sleep for the sharp wave ripples to occur and sharpen one’s memory.
8) Causes Weight Gain - Studies say that the more one sleeps, the more weight they lose. And in instances of sleep deprivation, exactly the opposite happens. Sleeping less than six hours a day increases your risk to be obese, according to studies.
9) Increases Risk Of Chronic Diseases - Lack of sleep increases the risk of cardiovascular diseases. It is very important to sleep the required amount of hours, every night, to assist all organs to function smoothly.
10) Impairs judgement - Sleep deprivation affects focus and other senses. This in turn impairs judgment as one might find it difficult to focus while taking decisions. You might start sleeping lesser than 7-8 hours and find that your body has adjusted to it, however in the long run, it will start showing adverse effects on your body.

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10 Ways Sleep Deprivation Can Be Hazardous

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