First Dental
1730 Williams Trace #E
Sugarland, TX 77478
(281) 494-3368

1

 

 

Sleep Well Solutions

What is Sleep Disordered Breathing (SDB)?

f you suffer from Sleep Disordered Breathing - snoring or sleep apnea - it can be a nuisance and also a hazard to your health.

Sleep disordered breathing is the general term used to describe a range problems that occur as you try to breathe while you sleep. Sleep disordered breathing includes simple snoring to severe sleep apnea.

range

Snoring
Snoring is the sign of a breathing problem. When you snore, you are breathing through a narrowed airway, which is like trying to breathe through a bent hose. In some cases, snoring is a "red flag" for a more serious medical problem called obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). It can have an impact on your quality of life and even affect your relationships. Read more...

Upper Airway Resistance Syndrome (UARS)
People with Upper Airway Resistance Syndrome (UARS) snore but they don't have all the symptoms that must be present to be diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea.

Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA)
Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) occurs when your airway completely collapses and blocks airflow to your lungs. People with sleep apnea can stop breathing hundreds of times during the night, which limits how much oxygen circulates through the body. Obstructive sleep apnea is a chronic disease that can lead to serious health problems, like extreme daytime sleepiness and high blood pressure.

Effects of Sleep Disordered Breathing
People who have sleep disordered breathing and bed partners who are kept awake by snoring often suffer from sleep deprivation and are prone to daytime sleepiness, which can lead to physical, mental and social problems. Obstructive sleep apnea is also linked to a variety of serious health problems.

Facts about Sleep Disordered Breathing and Sleep Apnea
Get some quick facts about sleep disordered breathing and its impact on society.

Upper Airway Resistance Syndrome (UARS)

Upper Airway Resistance Syndrome (UARS) falls between snoring and sleep apnea on the range of sleep disordered breathing. People with UARS experience a partial blockage of the airway which results in resistance to airflow and difficulty breathing. Although snoring may or may not be present, patients with UARS do not stop breathing like patients with obstructive sleep apnea. However, upper airway resistance is a serious problem.

If you have Upper Airway Resistance Syndrome, it's as if you have to breathe through a very small straw. The amount of time necessary to get all the oxygen you into your lungs and the suction pressure creates a lot of work for the muscles of your heart and puts extra stress on your cardiovascular system. UARS can lead to serious health problems like high blood pressure and heart disease.

Unfortunately, most people with UARS don't know they have it and as a result don't get any treatment. In fact, most people only get treated for sleep disordered breathing if they meet the diagnosis criteria for sleep apnea.

Treatment for Upper Airway Resistance Syndrome can do a lot to improve your health because it will be easier for you to breathe at night. If you start treating your sleep disordered breathing early when it is classified as UARS, you may prevent it from turning into the more severe problem of obstructive sleep apnea.

Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA)

Obstructive sleep apnea occurs when the muscles surrounding your airway completely give way. Basically, your throat closes and blocks airflow into your lungs. This blockage - whether partial or complete - cuts off your oxygen supply. You may or may not be aware that you stop breathing when you fall asleep. A sleep mate will often hear you gasp or choke when the blockage opens and you are able to breathe again. People with mild sleep apnea may stop breathing only a few times an hour. People with severe sleep apnea can stop breathing as many as eighty times an hour.
Warning: Obstructive Sleep Apnea is Serious

There are two types of sleep apnea:

  1. Obstructive Sleep Apnea, and
  2. Central Sleep Apnea.

Both are serious chronic diseases.

Learn more about central sleep apnea.
Obstructive sleep apnea is a chronic disease that can lead to serious health problems, like extreme daytime sleepiness and high blood pressure. If you have sleep apnea and stop breathing multiple times a night, you don't get the oxygen your body needs to function well. Your brain has to wake you up enough to start breathing again.

The repeating cycle - falling asleep, blocked airway, brain activation to start breathing again - is the reason you never get a restful night of sleep. Plus, the lack of oxygen puts extra stress on your entire body and especially on your heart. Studies have shown that you are more likely to have a heart attack or stroke if you have untreated sleep apnea. In some cases, obstructive sleep apnea can be fatal. The pro-football player Reggie White died of sleep apnea in 2004.

Signs and Symptoms of Sleep Apnea
The most common signs of sleep apnea are:

  • Loud snoring
  • Choking or gasping during sleep
  • Fighting sleepiness during the day (even at work or while driving)

Your family members may notice the symptoms before you do. Otherwise, you will probably not be aware that you have problems breathing while you are asleep.

Others signs of sleep apnea may include:

  • Morning headaches
  • Memory or learning problems
  • Feeling irritable
  • Not being able to concentrate on your work
  • Mood swings or personality changes; perhaps feeling depressed
  • Dry throat when you wake up
  • Frequent urination at night

A major side effect or symptom of obstructive sleep apnea is chronic sleepiness. People with obstructive sleep apnea often:

  • Feel sleepy even if they get enough sleep
  • Take naps during the day
  • Find it easy to nod off or fall asleep (e.g. in front of the TV, at a traffic light)

The Effects of Sleep Disordered Breathing

Poor Sleep and Quality of Life
If you don't get the sleep you need, it can be hard to make it through the day. The quality of your sleep affects your daily activities and has a huge impact on your overall quality of life. People who have sleep disordered breathing and bed partners who are kept awake by snoring often suffer from sleep deprivation and are prone to daytime sleepiness. This may:

  • Affect your productivity and performance at work
  • Increase your risk for injury or illness
  • Increase your chance of having a traffic accident
  • Cause strain in your personal relationships

Medical Problems Related to Sleep Disordered Breathing
Obstructive sleep apnea is associated with serious health problems. These include but are not limited to:

  • Chronic sleepiness
  • Obesity
  • High blood pressure
  • Heart disease
  • Heart attack and stroke
  • Diabetes
  • Reflux (GERD)
  • Depression
  • Morning headaches
  • Impotence

 

Facts about Sleep Disordered Breathing and Sleep Apnea

  • 40 million Americans suffer from some form of Sleep Disordered Breathing (SDB).
  • Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) may be present in 20-40% of the adult population who snore.
  • As many as ninety percent of people with OSA have not been diagnosed.
  • An individual with untreated apnea is up to four times more likely to have a stroke and 3 times more likely to have heart disease and twice as likely to have hypertension.
  • Studies show that OSA causes hypertension; one study showed that eighty percent of patients with drug-resistant hypertension have OSA.
  • Untreated OSA results in decreased work productivity, resulting in a cost of around $5 billion annually in the US.
  • Approximately three of every four bariatric surgery candidates have OSA.
  • Patients with untreated OSA who undergo anesthesia for surgery are at greater risk for complications during surgery than people without OSA.
  • Weight gain can increase a person's chances of developing moderate to severe OSA.
  • Patients with undiagnosed and untreated OSA have higher medical costs.
  • People with OSA are six times more likely to have a car crash than those without the disease.
  • Untreated OSA increases the risk of complications and even death from related chronic diseases, such as stroke, heart disease, hypertension and diabetes.
  • Treatment of OSA results in fewer hospitalizations from related diseases, such as heart disease and diabetes.

 

Patient Library

1

2