Sleep Apnea

Sleep apnea is a breathing disorder characterized by brief interruptions of breathing during sleep. Its name means “want of breath.” Sleep apnea is a serious, potentially life-threatening condition that is far more common than generally understood. There are two types of sleep apnea: central and obstructive. Central sleep apnea, which is less common, occurs when the brain fails to send the appropriate signals to the breathing muscles to initiate respirations. Obstructive sleep apnea is far more common and occurs when air cannot flow into or out of the person’s nose or mouth although efforts to breathe continue. In a given night, the number of involuntary breathing pauses or “apneic events” may be as high as 20 to 60 or more per hour. These breathing pauses are almost always accompanied by snoring between apnea episodes, although not everyone who snores has this condition. Sleep apnea can also be characterized by choking sensations. An individual with sleep apnea can have breathing stop or interrupted so often that oxygen is reduced to the brain and other vital organs. In order to breath, the body has to wake itself over and over thus reducing the quality and quantity of sleep. Symptoms of sleep apnea include daytime sleepiness, snoring, memory impairment and personality changes. Dr. Stevens can make a dental appliance to maintain the body’s airway which reduces snoring and apnea episodes. If you or someone you know in the Madison Wisconsin area might be suffering from sleep apnea Contact Us for more information.