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Apnea: Skipping Breaths at Night Equals Sleep Apnea

An apnea is what happens when you stop breathing for a moment during sleep. Apneas are defined as pauses lasting 10 seconds or longer; a shorter pause is known as a hypopnea. It's most often caused by your breathing passageways becoming blocked while you sleep, a sleep disorder known as obstructive sleep apnea.

During an apnea, blood oxygen levels fall. The brain doesn't get the oxygen it needs. REM sleep, which is supposed to be the most restful, is compromised. Sleep apnea leaves people feeling daytime fatigue, but that's not all: it also leaves sufferers more vulnerable to a host of other health problems. Heart disease, stroke, diabetes, brain damage and memory loss have all been linked to sleep apnea.

Not all people who snore have sleep apnea, but most people with sleep apnea do snore. Snoring is loud, rumbling breath during sleep. Sleep apnea, on the other hand, is characterized by stopping breathing or skipping breaths during sleep.

Treating obstructive or central sleep apnea improves a person's overall health and well-being. But a significant side benefit of sleep apnea treatment is that it can eliminate snoring. Ask anyone whose spouse snores just how valuable that can be! In fact, when people who snore seek treatment, the marriage tends to improve as well.

+Jim Du Molin is a leading Internet search expert helping individuals and families connect with the right dentist in their area. Visit his author page.

CPAP Machines Let Sleep Apnea Patients Breathe Easier

CPAP machines provide continuous positive airway pressure during sleep to help sleep apnea patients breathe more easily. The pressurized air reaches the patient through a sleep mask that provides air all night long.

There are other breathing machines besides the CPAP machine. They tend to be more expensive than CPAP therapy, but some people find CPAP masks uncomfortable and find other treatments more effective.

A VPAP machine offers variable positive airway pressure, and a BiPAP machine is a bilevel positive airway pressure machine. In these, the pressure is different when inhaling than when exhaling. For some people, a VPAP mask or BiPAP mask can be more comfortable and make breathing feel more natural.

An APAP machine gives automatic positive airway pressure (also known as auto-titrating continuous positive airway pressure) through an APAP mask. This machine has sensors that monitor the patient's breathing, providing extra air when needed.

CPAP machines are one of the snoring aids that are often covered by insurance. However, insurance companies are less likely to cover treatment with APAP or VPAP. Most patients start with CPAP treatment, trying other machines only if they are not satisfied with CPAP therapy.

+Jim Du Molin is a leading Internet search expert helping individuals and families connect with the right dentist in their area. Visit his author page.