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Sleep Apnea Research Paper

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Sleep is an important part of everyone’s health and the core of our wellbeing. With that being said, we have also had our share of experiencing a bad night’s sleep at one time or another. Imagine having a sleep disorder in which your breathing is constantly disrupting the quality of your sleep at night. Sleep Apnea is a common disorder where your breathing stops or pauses while you are asleep. Often times the sleeper is unaware of this involuntary cessation of breathing and it can occur up to hundreds of times a night. There are three different types of sleep apnea: obstructive, central, and mixed. Of the three, the most common is obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) which occurs when the airway becomes blocked during sleep, creating short breathing …show more content…

Complex sleep apnea (or mixed sleep apnea) is the combination of both obstructive and central sleep apnea symptoms. Some common symptoms of sleep apnea include: loud snoring, episodes of breathing cessation, abrupt awakenings with shortness of breath, awakening with dry mouth or sore throat, insomnia and irritability. So how do you differentiate between just snoring or sleep apnea? Not everyone who snores has sleep apnea, and not everyone who has sleep apnea snores. How you feel during the day is the ultimate indicator. If you are just snoring, you won’t suffer from sleepiness or fatigue during the day. Sleep Apnea occurs in all age groups and both sexes. Although it is more common in men, it may be under-diagnosed in women. Four-percent of middle-aged men and two-percent of middle-aged women have sleep apnea along with excessive daytime sleepiness. It is more likely to have or develop sleep apnea if you have high blood pressure, are overweight, or snore loudly. If left untreated, sleep apnea may cause high blood pressure, stroke, heart problems, diabetes, depression and worsening of …show more content…

Research shows that short sleep duration results in metabolic changes that may be linked to obesity. As the rise of obesity for children escalates, obesity continues to be a major concern. The CDC says that 1 in 3 American children born in 2000 will develop diabetes, and children under 10 years of age are already developing type 2 diabetes, which is primarily seen in adults usually over the age of 40. Uncontrolled diabetes can lead to hypertension, and increased risk of heart attack. Consequently, the relationship between sleep and depression is a little more discerning. Recent research suggests that depressive symptoms may decrease once sleep apnea has been effectively treated and sufficient sleep restored. Sleep apnea may also contribute to poor performance in daily activities such as operating a motorized vehicle and poor academic or work performance. Without the adequate amount of sleep that your brain needs to function, this disease can worsen over

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