People Suffering from Daytime Sleepiness May Get Better Rest with Sleep Apnea Treatment

Dec. 29, 2012 - PRLog -- Daytime sleepiness is often one of the first signs that a person is suffering from sleep apnea, and sleep apnea treatment may help patients get a better night’s sleep, according to Apnix Sleep Diagnostics of Houston. Obstructive sleep apnea is a condition in which the soft tissue of a person’s throat partially closes during sleep. Lack of oxygen prompts the person to wake up briefly, often hundreds of times at night. The result of such interrupted sleep can be daytime sleepiness, as well as a host of medical problems, including stroke and high blood pressure.

Sleep apnea is a condition affecting men and women, and often occurs in people who are overweight because of the additional tissue in their neck region. In addition to daytime sleepiness, other signs of possible sleep apnea include snoring and gasping for breath while sleeping, which are often first noticed by the patient’s sleeping partner. Patients typically make an appointment for a sleep study following a recommendation from their physician to determine if they might benefit from sleep apnea treatment.

During a sleep study, technicians at Apnix Sleep Diagnostics attach electrodes to the patient’s head to enable them to see how deeply he is sleeping or whether he is still awake. At the same time, they look for signs of sleep apnea, including oxygen levels in the blood.

When tests suggest that a patient has sleep apnea, the problem can often be remedied with the help of a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) device. A patient puts on a mask that connects with a tube to the CPAP device. During CPAP therapy, the device pumps air through the tube at a prescribed level of pressure to help keep the throat from collapsing during sleep. Patients often opt to use a heated humidifier with their CPAP to deliver warm, humid air while they sleep for added comfort.

Technicians determine the appropriate amount of pressure during a sleep apnea treatment study and program this amount into the CPAP device, which the patient uses at home in the bedroom. The result is deeper sleep, improved rest and minimized snoring. Patients may find that their daytime sleepiness is reduced or even eliminated when they use CPAP devices.