Sleep apnea is a condition that affects a person's breathing during sleep. Apnea comes from a Greek word meaning "want of breath." Not only is sleep apnea a chronic health problem, it is also progressive meaning it can get worse over time.The stoppage of breathing can last anywhere from 10 to 30 seconds per incident - up to 400 seconds over the course of a single night with multiple occurrences. Sleep apnea is still misunderstood for a large part, although research is continually ongoing.
Estimates are that between twelve and twenty million Americans suffer from sleep apnea to some degree.
There are three types of sleep apnea - obstructive, central and mixed. Of the three, obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is by far the most widespread. OSA can be mild, moderate or severe. And because it is a progressive condition, the severity can worsen over time.
Sleep apnea is not age specific - it can affect anyone from childhood through to old age. Men and women can both develop sleep apnea, but it more common to men - particularly middle-age men who are also overweight.
Looking closer at the breakdown by gender, 24% of men suffer from sleep apnea of some form while only 9% of women do. Women are far more likely to suffer from sleep apnea after going through menopause. After menopause, the percentage is roughly the same as it is for men.
Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is the most common of all sleep disorders, not just sleep apnea. Estimates are that 50% of those who suffer from sleep apnea also have a snoring problem. According to the National Commission on Sleep Disorders Research, roughly 38,000 cardiovascular deaths annually are in some way related to sleep apnea. The links include high blood pressure, hypertension and stroke.
Approximately 6 million Americans suffer from moderate to severe sleep apnea - sometimes requiring a late-night emergency room visit. Unfortunately, many people do not realize that they suffer from sleep apnea unless someone else brings it to their attention.
Approximately 4% of the men and 2% of the women who suffer from sleep apnea meet what is called the "diagnostic criteria" for the disorder. This criteria is an average of 10 apneic episodes over the course of an hour of sleep.
Sleep apnea is a condition that affects a person's breathing during sleep. Apnea comes from a Greek word meaning "want of breath." Not only is sleep apnea a chronic health problem, it is also progressive meaning it can get worse over time.The stoppage of breathing can last anywhere from 10 to 30 seconds per incident - up to 400 seconds over the course of a single night with multiple occurrences. Sleep apnea is still misunderstood for a large part, although research is continually ongoing. 