Sleep apnea is a condition which affects a large proportion of the population. Indeed, studies carried out in the United States in the 1990s estimated that almost a quarter of males and a tenth of females of middle age were affected by the condition.
The condition itself is a sleep disorder. The sufferer's breathing will pause for an abnormally long time during sleep, ranging from a few seconds to as long as minutes. Each of these pauses in breathing is known as an 'apnea'. Sufferers are rarely aware of the condition and seldom remember experiencing the disturbance the condition causes.
Broadly speaking, there are two classifications of the condition: Central and Obstructive. The former is caused by a lack of effort in breathing regularly during sleep. Obstructive apnea, on the other hand, is caused when a physical block obstructs breathing even though significant effort to breath is being made.
Obstructive sleep apnea is the most common kind of the disorder, and is often marked by snoring from the sufferer during the hours of repose. Tiredness and irritability during the daytime, caused by a lack of settled rest, are also symptoms of the condition. Many sufferers remain undiagnosed and put their feeling of irritable fatigue down to working hard or some other cause.
If it is left untreated, the consequences of the condition can be severe. In very extreme cases, the hypertension that is caused by the stress of a poor night's rest can result in strokes and heart attacks. It must be stressed that the vast majority of sufferers experience nothing like as severe as those rather frightening illnesses, though the impact on general healthiness should not be underestimated.
There are a number of conventional treatments for the condition, ranging from surgical procedures to behavioral therapies. However, many conventional treatments are invasive and require time and a certain amount of resolve from the patient. As such, may people seek alternative, natural therapies.
Altering behaviour is one obvious way of improving matters. Avoiding alcohol and sleeping pills, which relax the breathing apparatus in the body and allow airways to close, is a good start, and smokers would be advised to cut down significantly or stop completely if they suffer from the condition.
There are several herbs available on the market which can be used to treat night time conditions, including Valerian, Lavender and Chamomile. All help to produce a more relaxed repose which could help sufferers feel more rested and less tired. Herbs should not be mixed with prescribed medications though, and a a trained herbalist should always be consulted before using herbs to treat medical conditions.
Another, more eccentric, technique to combat apnea is to learn the didgeridoo, the Australian Aboriginal musical instrument. Playing the instrument strengthens muscles in the upper airway, making them less susceptible to collapse. Speech therapy exercises may also be useful.
Anyone suffering sleep apnea is operating under a pretty severe handicap that can grow worse over the years. Proper rest is the key to good health, and any disruption to it must be treated with a degree of seriousness.
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