The word apnoea means "without breath" and is used for many different circumstances; for example, some people compete in a type of game where they see who can hold their breath the longest.
This is called static apnea.
For most, however, they are concerned about obstructive sleep apnea, which is when your airway is blocked when you sleep and which causes you to actually stop breathing for a few seconds.
This happens when the muscles of the throat relax so much during sleep that they collapse enough to block the air passages, or when a person is overweight and obese.
The extra fatty tissue around the mouth and throat cause obstructive sleep apnea by cutting off the airway when a person is in bed and gravity pulls these fatty areas down over the throat.
Obstructive sleep apnea is nothing to dismiss.
The sleep apnea effects and lack of oxygen that one experiences can cause cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure and depression amongst other things.
Symptoms of Obstructive Sleep Apnea Since you're asleep when this lack of breathing takes place, it's difficult to be aware of the condition on its own.
Also, most people are awakened just long enough for the body to start breathing again, but no long enough for them to be aware of the fact that they're actually awake.
Typically sleep apnea effects are secondary, meaning that they occur during the day as a result of the lack of restful sleep.
These symptoms include daytime sleepiness, headaches, insomnia, trouble concentrating, mood changes such as irritability, anxiety and depression, loud snoring which typically includes a choking or gasping sound, forgetfulness, and increased blood pressure.
Many of these symptoms are due to the lack of quality sleep that one has during the night; when the body consistently wakes up to start breathing again, there is an interruption of sleep that is difficult to accommodate.
And the chronic lack of oxygen that happens with obstructive sleep apnoea can lead to heart damage, damage to the blood cells and other tissue, and even brain damage.
Who Gets Obstructive Sleep Apnea? As mentioned, typically persons who are obese suffer from obstructive sleep apnoea, however, there are many with a normal Body Mass Index (BMI) that suffer from this disease also.
When the soft tissue around the throat collapses due to a lack of muscle tone, excessive fatty tissue in the soft palate (the area at the roof of the mouth behind the tongue), or other reasons, then this apnea can result.
Children too may have the disease simply due to their physical makeup and build.
If you or your child have any of the symptoms listed above, you should speak to your doctor about obstructive sleep apnea so that he or she can recommend some treatment options, and you can finally get a good night's sleep!