Sleep Apnea Masks Offer Better Quality Sleep?

Answer 1

Sleep Apnea is a common sleeping disorder that affects millions of people. Because it occurs during sleep, many people are unaware of the disorder. The condition can range from mild to very serious and is a chronic health problem for its sufferers. Sleep Apnea is characterized by pauses in breathing and sometimes shallow breath during sleep. A person with the disorder often has problems with snoring as well. The pauses can last from a few seconds to a full minute and occur between 5 to 30 times in an hour. During the night a person with Sleep Apnea can frequently move out of the deep sleep stage and into a light sleep. This leads to poor sleep quality and daytime fatigue and drowsiness.

There are two major types of Sleep Apnea. The most common is due to a blockage in the airway. A less common type is known as Central Sleep Apnea. This is caused by a malfunction of the brain which results in the wrong signals sent from the part of the brain that controls breathing. This type is less likely to include snoring as a symptom.

One way to treat this disorder if with Sleep Apnea masks. These masks usually work in one of three ways to allow the sleeper to breath normally. Continuous Positive Airway Pressure or CPAP masks are the most commonly used. The device uses a small air blower and hose attached to the mask to provide a steady stream of airflow that keeps the airway from collapsing. Bi-Level Positive Airway Pressure masks work in the same way but also sense how much air the wearer needs. It can fluctuate its air flow instead of maintaining one constant level of pressure. The last major types are known as responsive or smart airway pressure devices. These attempt to keep the air pressure as low as possible, but increase it dramatically when sensors detect a breathing problem.

Consult your physician if you think you may suffer from some form of Sleep Apnea. The disorder is difficult to diagnose, but easy to treat with Sleep Apnea masks.