Sleep Apnoea is a medical disorder where a person tops breathing for short periods while asleep. The decreasing oxygen in the blood causes the person to wake uo briefly and get back to normal breathing.
It can happen hundreds of times during the night but the person is not awake long enough to be aware of it. It leads to poor quality sleep and affects the persons ability to work and concentrate the next day. The person may also get very sleepy during the daytime.
Sleep apnoea is caused by narrowing or blockage of the throat during sleep when the throat muscles are relaxed. Narrowing can occur due to obesity (greater fat stores around the neck) or obstruction, e.g. nasal polyps, or enlarged tonsils or toungue.
People with sleep apnoea often snore alot, and loudly, because air is being sucked into a narrowed airway. Your doctor needs to diagnose whether or not you have sleep apnoea, and will suggest appropriate treatments. Losing weight is the best option when sleep apnoea is caused by obesity.
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