Sleep Apnea

One of the most common sleep disorders is sleep apnea. Nearly 20 million Americans suffer from this condition where the air passages close off while a person sleeps. This causes the oxygen levels in the body to fall dramatically to the point where the person wakes up gasping and choking for air. In severe cases, this can happen up to 20-30 times per hour, making it difficult for someone suffering from sleep apnea to get a good night’s rest.

There are many ways to lessen the severity of this sleep disorder. Many people have great success treating their sleep apnea by just losing some weight. Even 10 pounds can make a big difference! Sleeping semi-upright at a 30 degree angle can also help. However, if these two things don’t eliminate the obstruction, a CPAP machine may finally bring much needed sleep back into your life.

A CPAP machine works by continuously pumping a steady stream of air directly into the airways. The air helps keep the passages open, which in turn eliminates the dangerous oxygen drop. It may take some practice before becoming comfortable wearing a CPAP mask, but there are a variety of masks available to fit every face and sleeping style.

Insomnia

Someone suffering from insomnia may lie awake for hours, willing themselves to fall asleep. Others don’t think they have insomnia because they can fall asleep, but wake up multiple times each night.

Insomnia treatment can vary greatly. The first treatment action plan is a simple one. Getting enough exercise, eliminating caffeine and keeping a strict bedtime routine can help treat insomnia. If you’re not having any luck with these natural remedies, it may be time to consider visiting a doctor or sleep specialist.

Your doctor may suggest trying an herbal supplement such as valerian root or an over the counter sleep aid, but if you still can’t sleep it may be time to move to a prescription sleep aid. Many prescription sleep aids come with a risk of sleepwalking, sleep eating or even sleep driving so make sure someone else is home with you to determine how your body reacts.

Restless Leg Syndrome

It may have a funny name, but restless leg syndrome is nothing to laugh about. Someone suffering from RLS is plagued with unpleasant leg sensations or tingling at bedtime or when they sit down and stretch out their legs. Many people report that the sensations feel like bugs or spiders crawling up and down their legs!

The cause of RLS can baffle doctors. If you’re diagnosed with RLS, most doctors will first test for anemia or another undiagnosed reason. If upping your iron levels doesn’t make the condition go away, your doctor may prescribe a medication to relieve the tingling.

These sleep disorders can make it difficult to get a good night’s sleep, but luckily treatment is available. Sleep is such an important function for our bodies. Without it, our quality of life can diminish rapidly — both physically and emotionally. If you are suffering from lack of sleep for any reason, you owe it to yourself to seek ways to feel healthy and vibrant once again.

Insomnia

Insomnia is when someone has problems falling asleep or staying asleep. They might lie awake for hours each night, trying to fall asleep. Or, they may fall asleep easily, but wake up often throughout the night.

There are many different ways to treat insomnia. Some people have great success with sticking to a strict bedtime routine, making sure they get at least 30 minutes of exercise every day and avoiding caffeine. If those first defense treatments don’t work, a medical treatment may be needed.

Some doctors suggest using an over the counter sleep aid or herbal remedies every once in a while, but many people can develop a tolerance for them, causing them to stop working. Stronger sleep aids are available by prescription, but they can cause sleepwalking, sleep driving or even sleep eating problems! It’s best to work with a doctor to treat your insomnia.

Restless Leg Syndrome

Restless leg syndrome is a condition where a person has unpleasant leg sensations around bedtime or whenever they stretch out their legs. The ‘jumping’ sensation associated with the syndrome makes it difficult to fall asleep.

The cause of restless leg syndrome is usually unknown so most doctors first test for anemia or any other undiagnosed causes. If fixing anemia doesn’t help the condition, it’s may be time to consider medications to help eliminate the symptoms.

Sleep Apnea

Sleep apnea is a sleep disorder where the air passages close themselves off as someone sleeps. The obstruction causes oxygen levels to drop dramatically and startles the body awake because it’s not getting enough oxygen. Someone with sleep apnea can actually wake up 20-30 times an hour, making this a serious sleep disorder.

People with sleep apnea should attempt to lose weight if they are overweight and may find relief when sleeping at an angle. Treatment for sleep apnea also includes using a CPAP machine. The patient uses a CPAP mask attached to a CPAP machine. The machine pumps a continuous stream of air into the airways, eliminating the oxygen level drop. Wearing a CPAP mask attached to a CPAP machine can get some getting used to and you may need to practice wearing it while awake, but result is a restful night’s sleep.

Sleep disorders such as insomnia, restless leg syndrome and sleep apnea are serious medical concerns that should be addressed. People suffering from these sleep disorders can benefit from medications, herbal remedies or possibly a CPAP machine to help them get a good night’s sleep.

Heart Disease and Strokes

Sleep apnea is caused when an airway blockage or constriction occurs, which drops the oxygen levels in the body to dangerous levels. In a severe case, a person can stop breathing nearly 250 times a night! This drop in oxygen levels has an enormous impact on the heart, causes it incredible strain and increase blood pressure. People who suffer from this sleep disorder have a 30% higher instance of dying from a heart attack.

Using a CPAP machine can help eliminate heart strain and reduce the chances of congestive heart failure, coronary artery disease, irregular heartbeat and stroke. The CPAP machine works by delivering a constant flow of air, and reducing the oxygen deceleration that puts the pressure on the heart and increases the heart rate, keeping the heart healthy.

Diabetes

Researchers have found that sufferers are two and a half times more likely to develop diabetes than someone who doesn’t have the sleep disorder. The link between the two isn’t exactly understood, but it’s thought that an obstruction triggers the body’s natural fight or flight response, leading to the production of hormones. These increased hormones in the body then set off insulin resistance and glucose intolerance.

It’s unclear whether sleeping while using a CPAP machine can treat existing cases of diabetes or just reduce the risk of developing the disease.

Memory Loss and Lack of Concentration

It’s no big surprise that people who suffer from sleep disorders such as sleep apnea also suffer from a lack of concentration and memory loss. Since sleep apnea can cause sufferers to wake up as much as every 2-3 minutes, they never reach the restful stage of REM sleep. People with sleep disorders report feeling groggy and as if they haven’t sleep at all.

After just a night or two of using a CPAP machine, sufferers report that they feel well-rested and refreshed. They are able to concentrate more on daily activities, feel more alert, report an increase in their quality of live, report a decrease in depression and have a lower risk of being in a car accident than before using the machine.

Using a machine to help keep your airways open will likely have benefits beyond just a good night’s sleep. Using one of these machines can help reduce the risk of developing heart disease and suffering from a stroke, reduce the risk of developing diabetes and improve your concentration and memory functions.

CPAP Machines and Your Blood Sugar Levels

A recent study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine offered eye-opening news about the use of CPAP machines and their effect on blood sugar levels. The study revealed that the use of a CPAP machine for four hours a night over the span of about six months significantly reduced the blood sugar levels of twenty-five type II diabetics.

For example, the average blood glucose level after breakfast among CPAP machine users was 130mg/gL — a drastic decrease when compared with 191mg/gL average blood sugar level prior to use of the CPAP machine. Improved sleep quality not only reduces blood sugar levels, but can also increase your outlook on life, your vibrancy, and energy level.

The frustration of losing countless hours of sleep creates problems for everyone: irritability, ineffectiveness at work, loss of will power, even depression — but reduced blood sugar levels can pose a far more serious risk for diabetics.

How CPAP Supply Can Help Your Body’s Insulin

CPAP masks help your body get to sleep at night by providing you with a constant supply of airflow. This reduces blood sugar levels by allowing the resting body to recuperate and generate a higher amount of insulin and to maintain and regulate several hormone levels. Since the body is rested, the insulin can be used more effectively than it would be in a sleep-deprived body.

Not a Cure, but a Great Help

The somewhat bright news to this otherwise bleak condition is that treatment for obstructive sleep apnea is simple, affordable, and produces immediate results. CPAP supply and masks reduce a number of side effects of diabetes, and it does this both affordably and easily.

A CPAP machine counters obstructive sleep apnea by ’stinting’ the throat to relieve obstructions and delivering a continuous stream of air. With the ability to breath properly, apnea sufferers are no longer jolted awake throughout the night, and thus able to relax in to essential REM sleep states that allow the body to relax and rejuvenate.

When CPAP machine treatments are combined with a healthy diet, exercise, and insulin, a more energized, healthy life is possible!

Slow Deterioration of the Brain and Body

Your physical output isn’t the only thing to suffer when your body is deprived of a good night’s sleep. The body’s cells don’t have the chance to maintain themselves or regenerate, causing your body to slowly and literally degenerate. This is why a sleep disorder such as sleep apnea is such a problem. The human brain, when deprived of sleep, is inefficient, and this affects your behavior, bodily movements, and decision-making skills. The neurons also malfunction, and this inhibits your ability to create memory and recall information.

Increased Susceptibility to Illness

The effects of fatigue go way beyond drowsiness. Your health deteriorates, your immune system ceases to function as well as it can, and you become increasingly susceptible to airborne illnesses. There are a number of diseases that have been linked with sleep apnea and any other sleep disorder including diabetes, stroke, bleeding and healing problems, and heart disease. In fact, studies have shown that ADD is often a misdiagnosis for chronic fatigue caused by sleep apnea.

Increased Irritation And Reduced Ability to Cope With Life

Your personality also undergoes a change: your patience is shortened, your mood is shakier, and the ability to socialize is also inhibited. Your work suffers because of slower reactions, both mental and physical, as well as the tendency to fall asleep during the day. All of these effects of fatigue create a new slew of problems to handle in your personal and professional life.

Weight Gain

How much and how well you sleep at night is a huge determinant in your weight. This is in large part due to these two hormones: leptin and ghrelin. The brain, when deprived of sleep, can not control these hormones as well as it could. When these hormones are out of balance, a person is often extremely hungry, because leptin tells your brain to stop eating when you’re full, and ghrelin tells your brain when you are hungry. Since your will power is reduced with a lack of sleep, caving in to the constant desire to eat is a potentially dangerous one. If these hormones are out of balance for too long, you are at risk to become overweight.

Increased Risk of Cancer

Recent studies from Harvard have revealed a connection between sleeplessness and cancer of the breast and colon. Experts believe this may be due to the body’s inability to dispel toxins and heal properly when deprived of sleep. It may also be due to protein and hormone levels that can not be controlled as well when deprived of sleep. So, if you suffer from a sleep disorder, see an expert to talk about treatments.

Sleep Disorder And Weight Control

The amount of sleep you get each night plays a large determining factor in controlling your weight. When your brain does not operate properly because of a lack of rest, it has difficulty controlling two important hormones: leptin, which tells your brain to stop eating because you are full, and ghrelin, which tells your body that you are hungry. When these hormone levels come out of balance, you will find you are hungry when you shouldn’t be. After a prolonged length of time, you can become overweight, further endangering your health in numerous ways.

Regular Sleep Improves Brain Function

Sleep apnea can have a severe effect on your brain and the ability of your entire body to function properly. When you haven’t gotten enough sleep and continue on this path for a long period of time, your body cannot regenerate causing a host of other problems. Your brain for instance, doesn’t get the time it needs to maintain its efficiency. This causes neurons to malfunction, affecting your movement, behavior, and memory. Sleep is also necessary for your body to create memories and recall information — from a complex formula to speaking a simple word.

Fatigue And Sleep Apnea

It is not unusual to feel tired once in awhile, but when it feels like you’ve never gone to bed only a short time after waking up, you have a problem. Not only does your health deteriorate, but your mood and ability to socialize goes with it. You can start falling asleep during the day, are slower to react, and have poor decision-making skills leading to a whole host of new problems.

Rest May Prevent Cancer

Studies from Harvard have recently discovered a connection between a sleep disorder and lack of rest with diseases such as colon and breast cancer. Experts believe this may be due in part to sleep’s ability to control hormone and protein levels. It may also be caused by your body’s inability to heal and dispel toxins.

There are numerous other diseases associated with sleep apnea or other sleep disorders including diabetes, heart disease, stroke, inattention, bleeding and healing problems, and many more. Many of these are dangerous on their own, but when you combine them with other problems, they can be deadly. Your quality of sleep is no laughing matter.

If you believe you have a problem with your sleep, it is important to address the problem as soon as possible. After a short and simple test that is so easy you can literally sleep through it, the expert will recommend a treatment. Oftentimes, treatment involves little more than the use of a CPAP machine and possibly a change in diet — a small price to pay to prevent the dangerous side effects of sleep deprivation.

The CPAP Supply/Diabetes Connection

It may seem unrelated that sleep apnea could be connected to diabetes. But one thing that is common between the two is that many who have sleep apnea and many who have diabetes are overweight.

When someone is overweight, they start to get fat deposits building on the throat and along the airway. As the body relaxes, it the pressure causes a blockage of the windpipe. If you sleep on your back, the problem only intensifies. The added weight also inhibits the effectiveness on the body’s insulin to fight sugar. The connection between the two is believed to go much farther than that.

CPAP machines and masks provide your body with a constant stream of airflow, which can actually reduce blood sugar levels. First, it keeps the body rested so that it can produce a higher amount of insulin and use it more efficiently. Furthermore, getting a good night’s sleep helps your body maintain healthy hormone levels. Some of these hormones directly control your insulin levels. With the constant flow of oxygen, your body can keep these levels steady at a healthy level.

Additional Complications Of Sleep Apnea And Diabetes

The inability to get a decent night’s sleep in addition to dealing with diabetes also can negatively impact your lifestyle, causing you to feel tired, mentally drowsy, and even suffer from bouts of depression.

CPAP supply and masks are a relatively inexpensive and easy solution for reducing some of the negative side effects of diabetes. Using a CPAP machine alone won’t ‘cure’ diabetes, but it can significantly lower the effects of blood sugar problems. By combining sleep apnea treatments with a healthy diet and insulin, you may discover a more pleasant day-to-day existence and the strength to lose weight and stick to a healthy diet.

Research Studies on CPAP’s Impact on Diabetes

A study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine revealed how the use of a CPAP machine impacted the blood sugar levels of 25 people with Type II diabetes. After using a CPAP machine for four hours a night for approximately six months, researchers documented a significant reduction in blood sugar levels. The average blood glucose level after breakfast among those who used the CPAP machine was 130mg/gL compared with 191mg/gL prior to using the CPAP machine at night.

Sleep is a critical function of all living beings. When sleep is interrupted, a host of consequences can evolve. Improving sleep quality, can not only reduce blood sugar levels, but increase your energy, vibrancy, and overall outlook on life.