Symptoms include loud snoring, pauses in breathing while asleep followed by an abrupt "snort" or gasp. These would be observed by someone other than you. A person with sleep apnea actually wakes up to start breathing, though they are not conscious of it. They cannot get to the deep levels of restorative sleep. Daytime symptoms include "Pickwickian" spells, or falling asleep while doing normal activities. (like talking, driving, and other things where people don’t normally fall asleep)

So, have a family member or your bed partner watch you sleep to see how many times per night you stop breathing. For sleep apnea it is often 15-100 x per night.

However, depression is a leading cause of poor sleep, and this is most likely what you have. Some antidepressants actually hinder sleep, so ask your doctor. You may also need a sleep aid for 4-6 weeks to "retrain" your body to get deep sleep.

Other things that can lead to poor sleep: poor sleep hygeine (not going to bed a the same time each night, exercise before bed, and many more), chronic caffeine use, other medications, restless leg syndrome.

Talk with your doctor. If it looks, walks, and quacks like a duck, then it’s a duck. I’d bet that your depression is the cause of your sleep problem.

Best of luck

>>>>>> BUT YOU NEED TO READ ALL THESE ANSWERS !!!!<<<<<<<

I HAD INSURANCE !!! BUT DID NOT GET PROPER SLEEP TREATMENT UNTIL LAST YEAR. I AM NOW 61 YEARS OLD AND I SWEAR TO GOD I FEEL LIKE I HAVE REGAINED BACK OVER 40 YEARS OF MY LIFE!

I APPARENTLY NEVER KNEW WHAT SLEEP WAS!

DO WHATEVER YOU CAN TO GO TO A SLEEP CLINIC, BEG WHATEVER YOU CAN IF YOU HAVE APNEA, AND YOU GET A CPAP YOU WILL SHORTLY BE A NEW YOU!!!

FOLLOW THE DOCTORS DIRECTIONS ORDERS, AND ALL SORTS OF WONDERFUL THINGS WILL HAPPEN!

IT IS POSSIBLE THAT A CPAP COMPANY HAS A PROGRAM, MY DAUGHTER IS ON A MEDICAL PLAN FROM THE MANUFACTURER FOR FREE AS SHE DOES MOSTLY CHARITY WORK FOR OTHERS. ONLY A DOCTOR WILL KNOW THIS, OR SALESMAN OF A CPAP MACHINE , AT ANY RATE IT WOULD CENTER AROUND A CLINIC.

I AM POSITIVE THAT THE CLINIC WILL WORK OUT SOMETHING REASONABLE. BUT THE RETAIL COST OF THE MACHINE IS $2000.00 AND THAT OVERNIGHT STAY CAN COST JUST ABOUT WHATEVER THEY WANT IT TO. IF A PERSON HAS INSURANCE THEY MAKE IT 2 NIGHTS AND A TOTAL COST OF SAY $15,000.00+ TO THE INSURANCE COMPANY FOR THE CLINIC. WITHOUT INSURANCE THEY CAN DO IT IN ONE NIGHT AT A COST OF FROM NOTHING TO SOME NOMINAL FEE PAID OVER TIME WORKED OUT AHEAD OF TIME.

MAIN THING IS SEE A DOCTOR WITH A CLINIC AS SOON AS POSSIBLE FOR ADVISE! IT WILL BE THE BEST THING YOU WILL EVER DO FOR YOURSELF!

JUST ASK AT THE CLINIC NEAREST YOU!

I SWEAR YOU WILL NEVER REGRET IT! AND IF YOU ARE MARRIED, AND OLDER I KNOW YOUR WIFE WILL GET THE POINT!

GOOD LUCK AND GOOD DREAMS,

APS

Thank you.

Coffee increases the basic metabolic rate, which helps burn more calories. It increases mental clarity, as well as muscular coordination, can help to increase respiration rates and gives also a boost to low blood pressure. Indeed, several studies have concluded that metabolic rate or energy expenditure is positively affected by coffee consumption. For example, a study in the American Journal of Physiology in 1995 showed that energy expenditure increases by about 10% in response to caffeine ingestion.
Caffeine is the world’s most popular psychoactive drug. It boosts metabolism and energy levels, making you feel more alert by interfering with the action of drowse-inducing adenosine in the brain. It also manipulates the same channels in the brain as amphetamines, activating the brain’s pleasure centers. A recent study from Brazil finding that people who drink coffee with milk each day are less likely to have depression. Also, studies have shown that coffee drinkers have a lower incidence of suicide than the rest of the population. Caffeine is a stimulant which, in moderate amounts, helps with fatigue associated with depression. Coffee has been shown to contain small quantities of monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs), which are natural antidepressants.
Just make sure you drink GOOD coffee and not the cheapest stuff you can get your hands on! Coffee should be handpicked, and best are Arabica beans. Order coffee farm direct, and you’ll be surprised how well it tastes, let’s you sleep, and you’ll never go back to the regular supermarket shelves for it.

That’s all I can think of, but it never hurts to do a Yahoo search or something. Those are just some of the things my boyfriend’s dad does because he has Sleep Apnia too. Try a couple different things and see what works best for you. Good luck!!

Sleep apnea is often not diagnosed because there is no specific test that can be done on routine trips to your doctor. It also isn’t recognized unless you have a sleep partner. It occurs when your airways are somehow obstructed or have collapsed. This condition causes you to pause in your breathing. Then, when you then try to breathe, you may snore loudly. Central sleep apnea is a less-common form of the disease and it is triggered when your brain doesn’t send the correct signals to your breathing muscles. It often occurs with Obstructive sleep apnea but is normally not accompanied by snoring.

Obstructive sleep apnea needs to be treated because it can lead to high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, diabetes and obesity. If you have it, you are at risk for developing cardiac failure and irregular heartbeats. You also are more prone to accidents because when you awake you are tired and confused. Sleep apnea means that you likely will have to make some major lifestyle changes in order for it to be treated successfully. You also may need to try other treatment options such as mouthpieces, surgery and breathing devices.

Your sleep apnea treatment will be ongoing and will require you to follow-up with your doctor regularly. Let your doctor know if you are experiencing any side effects that are unmanageable. If you are using CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure), report any difficulties that you might be having to your doctor. He or she may be able to prescribe something different for you to use. You may also be able to get additional treatment to control any CPAP side effects.

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There are several symptoms that occur when a person is experiencing sleep apnea.  They include excessive sleepiness during the day and many episodes of obstructed breathing during sleep.  A person with sleep apnea may snore loudly, have morning headaches and wake up unrefreshed.  The person may have an exceptionally dry mouth upon awakening and have high blood pressure.  Obesity and irritability are also other symptoms of people with sleep apnea.  Sometimes a person’s personality changes dramatically.  They may also have heartburn, reduced libido and frequent urination.  Their sleep is restless and they may appear to be choking or gasping.  Other symptoms may include confusion and a rapid gain of weight.

A person with Obstructive Sleep Apnea may experience other serious diseases if the condition goes undiagnosed.  They run the risk of having a heart attack, high blood pressure, irregular heartbeats and other cardiac diseases.  They also are extraordinarily tired during the day which makes it likely that they will be accident-prone and unproductive at home and at work.  Diagnosis for sleep apnea includes a sleep test which is done overnight.  The patient is monitored to determine his or her sleep patterns.  A home test can also be done to record sleeping functions.

Obstructive sleep apnia can be mild, moderate or severe.  The mild form can usually be treated by making some type lifestyle or behavioral changes.  Moderate to severe sleep apnea is generally treated using a CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) machine.  Severe sleep apnea is best treated using one of several surgical techniques.

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Changing routine habits sometimes help eliminate the symptoms of sleep apnea.  Avoiding alcohol and sleep medication is one solution.  If a person is overweight, losing some pounds will sometimes improve symptoms.  Sleeping on the side, rather than the stomach, is often helpful.  Other lifestyle changes that can be tried are using nasal sprays and allergy medicines and stopping smoking has proven effective in reducing sleep apnea symptoms.

Using a mouthpiece has been beneficial in reducing mild sleep apnea.  It also has had a positive affect on people who have a tendency to snore at night.  Mouthpieces can be custom made by dentists or orthodontists.  They are made to adjust to the lower jaw and tongue so that airways remain open during sleeping periods.

One of the most common treatments for sleep apnea is CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure).  A mask is made to fit over the nose and mouth and it gently blows air into the  throat during sleep.  The air pressure is what keeps airways from becoming narrowed or blocked. Breathing devices such as CPAP are set up according to doctor’s orders and may need to be adjusted occasionally.

The final sleep apnea treatment option is surgery.  The surgery itself tends to effective in only certain sleep apnea conditions.  Its purpose is to widen breathing passages and this is done by removing or shrinking excess mouth or throat tissue or by resetting the lower jaw.  This surgery can usually be done in the doctor’s office or in an outpatient hospital or clinic.  Shrinking tissue may simply involve a series of injections and no actual surgery will have to be done.  Hospitalization and surgery is required if tissue has to be removed.  The patient is given a general anesthetic and will experience minor throat pain for a few days.

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There are many natural ways to deal with insomnia and mild sleep disorders. The calming herb Valerian is sold over-the-country in many foreign countries. Melatonin works well for people with jet lag or for anyone who has had their sleep/wake cycle interrupted. Another herb, Kava, works well to reduce anxiety which is often the cause of insomnia. There are also some relaxation techniques to help a person fall asleep. Visualizing a relaxing scene is helpful when used along with muscle relaxation and yoga, which combines deep breathing, stretching and meditation. Watching what you eat plays a big role in your sleeping patterns. Avoiding caffeine and sweets is important and eating things high in carbohydrates, magnesium and amino acids help you sleep.

Aromatherapy using English lavender or chamomile is something that works quickly and well as a sleep aid. Researchers have also found that light has an effect on falling asleep. A dark room at night tells a body when its time to fall asleep and any natural light in the morning signals that it’s wake up time. Some people try listening to soothing music at bedtime. This improves sleep cycles and decreases the number of night wakenings.

In addition to the preceding remedies, there are other natural sleep aids such as acupuncture, Chinese medicine, moderate exercise and Feng Shui (the arrangement of rooms to promote favorable energy). Insomnia is something that can be dealt with naturally and quickly by following these recommended methods. Avoiding it at all costs is the primary goal of sufferers everywhere.

Technorati Tags: central sleep apnea, how to sleep bette, natural sleep aids, sleep apnea surgery, sleep apnea symptoms, sleep apnea treatment, sleep apnia, sleep apnoea, sleeping disorders