What is a sleep disorder?
Sleep apnea include a variety of conditions that affect your ability to sleep well on a regular basis. A sleep disorder can cause other health problems and affect your quality of life.
One of the most common sleep disorders is obstructive sleep apnea, where there is a physical obstruction in the upper airway. The obstruction can be the tongue, tonsils, uvula, soft palate or any other tissue that prevents normal breathing. When the body relaxes during sleep and loses muscle tone, gravity pulls the obstruction down into the airway. The deeper you sleep, the more relaxed you become and the more likely you are to experience an apneic event. If left untreated, obstructive sleep apnea increases risk of heart attack, heart disease and stroke.
Other common sleep disorders include:
- Central sleep apnea
- Upper airway resistance syndrome
- Restless legs syndrome
- Periodic limb movement disorder
How are sleep disorders treated?
Treatments for sleep disorders are as varied as the disorders themselves, and can include medications, behavior modifications or surgery. The gold standard of treatment for obstructive sleep apnea is continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP), a piece of durable medical equipment worn while sleeping.
