Sleeping ensures that the body and mind relax. You may not be able to relax during sleep even though you have slept in bed for a long time. What causes this? You may suffer from sleep apnea syndrome, which prevents you from falling into deep sleep due to breathing problems. Light sleep ensures that your body and mind do not rest enough, so that you wake up tired. What causes this and how can the disorder be remedied?

Sleep apnea syndrome

• Sleep is essential
• Frequency of respiratory arrest
• There are two sleep apnea syndromes
• Causes and consequences
• Degrees of sleep apnea
• How is sleep apnea syndrome treated?

Sleep is essential

Good sleep is necessary for the body because it allows you to relax and experiences of the day are processed in the brain. But good sleep can be seriously disrupted if a person suffers from sleep apnea syndrome. This is a disorder during sleep in which breathing partly comes to a standstill. This standstill can sometimes last thirty seconds or even longer. The body does not receive enough oxygen during sleep and carbon dioxide is no longer exhaled. Naturally, the brain notices this and sends a signal to come out of deep sleep. This may mean that the sleeping person wakes up, but also that the body is continuously in light sleep. The brain remains alert, which means the body does not get enough rest. The person wakes up the next morning unslept. What causes this condition and what can be done about it?

Frequency of respiratory arrest

If respiratory arrest occurs more than five times per hour, this is referred to as sleep apnea. However, the syndrome can occur very often in some patients, resulting in an extremely restless sleep pattern. The body does not get enough rest, so there is a chance that the patient will fall asleep or be extremely tired at unexpected times during the day. One possibility is that the patient then receives mechanical ventilation support during sleep to prevent respiratory arrest. The diagnosis is made in a sleep center after which the most suitable solution is sought.

There are two sleep apnea syndromes

Sleep syndrome can be caused by two sleep apnea variants:

Central sleep apnea syndrome

Insufficient signals are sent by the brain. The breathing muscles then stop temporarily, causing breathing problems.

Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome

The path through which air and breath must pass has an obstruction. This is often due to the airway wall or the tongue blocks the passage. By losing muscle tension in the mouth and throat, the trachea can close, causing the patient to continuously wake up before reaching deep sleep. This can cause chronic sleep deprivation.

Causes and consequences

The cause can often be found in abnormalities in the throat and nose, but an abnormality in muscle tension can also be a cause. The syndrome is aggravated by smoking, sleeping pills and may be hereditary. Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome may cause the following symptoms:

• heavy snoring and waking up violently from time to time;
• being severely tired during the day, during which the patient may fall asleep;
• irritability, tension and excessive sweating;
• acidified muscles and an increased risk of cardiovascular disease.

Degrees of sleep apnea

The severity of the disorder also depends on the severity of the complaints. How sleepy is the patient during the day and how often does the disorder occur:

• from 5 to 15 times per hour is a mild disturbance;
• from 15 to 30 times per hour is a moderate disturbance;
• more than 30 times per hour indicates a serious disorder.

It is then necessary to find help so that the disorder is treated, so that the patient can sleep well again.

How is sleep apnea syndrome treated?

To treat sleep apnea, there are several options, depending on the cause of the disorder:

• weight must be addressed by losing weight, while a healthier life ensures improved sleep. Avoid alcohol before going to sleep and do not take sleeping tablets;
• crooked nasal septum: to improve the passage of air, the nasal septum can be straightened so that the patient can breathe sufficiently. Oversized tonsils can also be removed;
• If the disorder is caused by sleeping on the back, a tennis ball sewn into the pajamas can provide a solution;
• no muscle tension causes the tongue to sink onto the trachea. This can be corrected with braces. This can be put in at night.

In a severe form of the disorder, positive airway access pressure can be applied. The patient often needs to be ventilated at night for life, so that the airway is continuously maintained. Naturally, positive pressure and negative pressure must alternate in order to breathe properly.

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