SLEEP Online Magazine - The SLEEP Blog - All about SLEEP, SLEEPING, and SLEEPINESS » breathing_problems

Sleep Deprivation can be Contagious

Brian Yalung — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 21:32:48 +0000

As far as married couples are concerned, seeing that your partner is suffering from a sleep disorder may lead to you having the same problem as well. Just picture the image of you having to live with your partner’s snoring or being awake at the improper times of the night. Normally, couples would want their partners by their side so that they can sleep soundly. Now if the case comes that they are not for one reason or another, chances are they will not be able to sleep.

This is only one scenario. Now consider a health-related one when your partner has breathing problems that deprive them sleep. Altogether, you will find an indirect reason for a couple to have a sleep disorder and once that happens, sleep becomes much longed for and becomes utterly contagious.

For those whose severe sleep disorders cause them health problems and may even be putting their lives at risk, a visit to a specialist sleep clinic could be their only hope of a cure. Lack of sleep has serious effects on the body and the brain. It impedes concentration, causes mood swings and over time inhibits the immune system.

(Source) Telegraph.co.uk

Sleep, Health and Marriage

Brian Yalung — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 21:30:22 +0000

Sleep disorder victims can strike anyone. Notably married couples, not all partners have patience with regards to trying to put up with their partner’s sleeping problems which can go as far as breathing problems up to snoring. If you look at it, snoring can act as a stimulant for worst nights ahead as even the normal sleeper may start finding sleep issues since he or she cannot sleep soundly as they should be.

If you look at it, sleep problems pose as a web of problems if you check it out. One problem leads to another and may go as far as affecting the overall health of a person suffering from these sleep disorders. They just have to address the sleep problem so that it doesn’t get out of hand.

You’re not alone if feel like you need a nap at work. About 70 million of us have some sort of sleep problem according the National Sleep Foundation. And, many disorders go untreated.

(Source) WhoTV.com

The Dreamhelmet for the Sleepy Drivers

Brian Yalung — Sat, 16 Feb 2008 10:04:31 +0000

People who drive and have sleep problems will often have to consider that the potential risk for accidents may increase as they continue to allow their sleep disorder be left unattended. It has been reported that among the car accidents that most drivers experience today, dozing of or breathing problems while behind the wheel are among the leading reasons for incurring such accidents.

But a temporary solution has now been developed and it is called the Dreamhelmet. While some people may find it awkward to wear, do remember to address your sleep disorder problem first above all.

The Dreamhelmet, a patented combination sleep-mask sound blocking pillow, launches a campaign to alert their customers and the public about the hazards of ‘drowsy driving’. The release explains how planning ahead and the use of the Dreamhelmet can prevent accidents and protect automobile travelers in emergency situations.

(Source) Press Release Newswire

Loud Snorers Have Cures

Brian Yalung — Thu, 07 Feb 2008 19:09:52 +0000

As far as snoring is concerned, the immediate generalization of most people is that they stem from fatigue. But if they are looked upon closely, there may be other things of concern such as some health problems involved.

The best way is to make visit to your physician or sleep specialist. They can more or less diagnose any health-related issue concerning the whole ordeal. While some would choose otherwise, many would be surprised at the things they would learn such as breathing problems and even higher levels of health problems is concerned.

There are medications and devices that can help people cure snoring. Do not just conclude anything without the express insights of a licensed physician. The difference may be serious to your health as you would think.

Experts believe there are as many as 300,000 sleep apnoea sufferers in the UK but only one fifth are diagnosed.

The rest simply believe they are bad snorers.

The condition causes the muscles in the throat to collapse, closing the airway and causing the sufferer to stop breathing for up to ten seconds.

After the airway has closed, they “wake” and breathe deeply which produces the snoring sound. However, the sufferer does not regain consciousness in the process and is not aware of it.

(Source) Daily Mail

Mental Disorders from Sleep Apnea

Brian Yalung — Wed, 23 Jan 2008 09:47:31 +0000

All people reach an age where mental impairment would occur. However, one thing that people don’t know that sleep related issues may have something to do with it as well. Apparently, sleep-breathing problems may contribute towards affecting older people at some point and provide mental disorders which are expected to occur at some elderly state.

Sleep apnea has been known to create problems for people but this mental issue related to it is really something more important to take note of.

Older women with sleep-related breathing problems may have a heightened risk of impairments in thinking and memory, a new study suggests.

The findings, reported in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, suggest that so-called sleep-disordered breathing, including sleep apnea, may be a risk factor for age-related cognitive decline.

(Source) Reuters

Sleep Apnea Leads to Hypercapnia

Brian Yalung — Fri, 21 Dec 2007 08:15:02 +0000

Breathing problems were found to become a problem for people who suffer from chronic sleep apnea. Hypercapnia seems to be found in people since most would resort to either curing or dealing with sleep apnea through excessive eating to replace the lost energy due to sleepless nights.

Discovering the high level of carbon dioxide from such sleep apnea problems is only normal. This abnormal sleeping disorder is bound to point towards other areas of health risks such as obesity and such should not be surprising.

(Source) People who suffer from the nighttime breathing disorder known as sleep apnea may develop high levels of carbon dioxide in the blood during the daytime — a condition known as hypercapnia, Japanese researchers have found.

Dr. Koichiro Tatsumi from Chiba University and colleagues studied 1,227 patients with obstructive sleep apnea — a common problem in which people stop breathing for short periods during sleep. It occurs when soft tissues in the back of the throat collapses, temporarily block the airway.

Tests showed that 168 of the patients, or 14 percent, suffered from daytime hypercapnia. These patients weighed significantly more and had worse sleep apnea than patients with normal blood levels of carbon dioxide.