Apnea

Apnea - Many of the problem related to sleep d istruption have so do with amount of sleep, but in other cases, quality of sleep is the culprit. Recently, researchcers have recognized that sleep apnea, an air pipe blockage that disrupts sleep, can comparamise health. Each time that apnea occurs, the sleeper stops breathing, sometimes for as long as 3 minutes, until he or she suddenly wakes up, gasping for air. some people are awekened dozens, even hundreds, of time each night without realizing it. Researchers now believe that sleep apnea triggers thousands of nighttime deaths, including heart attacks. Apnea also contributes to high rates of accidents in the workplace and on the road and to irritability, anxiety, and depresion. Sleep apnea is difficult to diagnose because the symptoms, such as grouchiness, are so diffuse, but fitful, harsh snoring is one signal that a person may be experiencing apnea.

Sleep Apnea

Sleep Apnea can disturb the sleep of others

Is there any treatment for apnea? Because apnea is caused by excessive tissue in the back of the throat, which blocks the air passage, doctors can in servers cases cut out some of this throat tissue. Other patients sleep with a machine designed to keep airways open or wear sleeping masks that blow air down the throat all night. Such methods improve cognitive functioning chief casualty of the excaustion produced by chronic obstructive sleep apnea (Bardwell, Ancoli-Israel, Berry, & Dimsdale, 2001). Although sleep apnea is chronic problem for some people, many people also get it occasionally, particularly following a night of heavy drinking or smoking (S. Baker, 1997). The medical community is just beginning to understand how problematic chronic obstructive sleep apnea can be.

The next year promise to enligten us more fully as to the health benefits of sleep and liabilities of disordered sleeping. For those with persistent sleep problems, a variety of cognitive-behavioral interventions are available that typically make use of relaxation therapies (Perlis et al., 2000;Perlis, Shape, Smith, Greenblatt, 2001). Such programs also recommed better sleep habits, many of which can be undertaken on one's own (Gorman, 1999; S.L. Murply, 2000). How can we sleep better?see 4.5

4.5 A Good Night's Sleep

• Get regular exercise, at least three times a week.
• Keep the bedroom cool at night
• sleep a ncomfortable bed that is big enough
• Establish a regular schedule for awakening and going to be
• Develop nightly rituals that can get one ready for bed, such as taking a shower
• Use a fan or other noise geneator to mask background sound
• Don't consume too much alcohol or smoke
• Don't eat too much or too little at night.
• Don't have strong smells in the room, as from incense, candles, or lotions.
• Don't nap after 3 p.m
• Cut back on coffeine, especially in the afternoon or evening 
• If awakened, get up and read quietly in another place, to associate the bad with sleep, not sleeplessness.