What is Obstructive Sleep Apnoea?
What is Obstructive Sleep Apnoea?
OBSTRUCTIVE Sleep Apnoea is a medical condition characterised by intermittent obstruction of the respiratory passages during sleep.
When a person with this condition falls asleep, his throat muscles relax to the point where the windpipe closes up. Hence, making it difficult, if not impossible, for him to breathe.
As the patient gasps for air, he typically produces a loud snort, along with movements of the whole body. These movements open up the throat muscles, allowing air to enter the lungs.
“It can be quite frightening for the onlooker to see the patient thrashing on the bed,” said Professor Dr Liam Chong Kin, a consultant in respiratory medicine.
Once normal breathing is restored, the person continues to sleep, only to repeat the cycle over and over again. Since these OSA episodes occur hundreds of times a night, it results in restless sleep.
Dr Liam said there are basically five stages of sleep: stage 1, 2, 3, 4, and REM or rapid eye movement sleep.
During stage 1-4 of sleep, our brain waves slow down until we switch to REM sleep. At this point, there is rapid and irregular breathing and eye movements as we go into the dream state.
A healthy individual aged 30 or thereabouts would normally go through four cycles of these five stages of sleep during the night.
Dr Liam said the problem is people with OSA get very little stage 3, stage 4 and REM sleep, which are very important for the body to recharge.
“If we don’t get enough stage 3, stage 4 and REM sleep, we do not feel refreshed the next day.
“Because the patient’s sleep is disrupted hundreds of times, it’s almost as if he has not slept at all. Life is miserable for people with severe OSA.”
From:
http://www.nst.com.my/Current_News/nst/Sunday/Focus/20060702151142/Article/index_html
OBSTRUCTIVE Sleep Apnoea is a medical condition characterised by intermittent obstruction of the respiratory passages during sleep.
When a person with this condition falls asleep, his throat muscles relax to the point where the windpipe closes up. Hence, making it difficult, if not impossible, for him to breathe.
As the patient gasps for air, he typically produces a loud snort, along with movements of the whole body. These movements open up the throat muscles, allowing air to enter the lungs.
“It can be quite frightening for the onlooker to see the patient thrashing on the bed,” said Professor Dr Liam Chong Kin, a consultant in respiratory medicine.
Once normal breathing is restored, the person continues to sleep, only to repeat the cycle over and over again. Since these OSA episodes occur hundreds of times a night, it results in restless sleep.
Dr Liam said there are basically five stages of sleep: stage 1, 2, 3, 4, and REM or rapid eye movement sleep.
During stage 1-4 of sleep, our brain waves slow down until we switch to REM sleep. At this point, there is rapid and irregular breathing and eye movements as we go into the dream state.
A healthy individual aged 30 or thereabouts would normally go through four cycles of these five stages of sleep during the night.
Dr Liam said the problem is people with OSA get very little stage 3, stage 4 and REM sleep, which are very important for the body to recharge.
“If we don’t get enough stage 3, stage 4 and REM sleep, we do not feel refreshed the next day.
“Because the patient’s sleep is disrupted hundreds of times, it’s almost as if he has not slept at all. Life is miserable for people with severe OSA.”
From:
http://www.nst.com.my/Current_News/nst/Sunday/Focus/20060702151142/Article/index_html
posted by Morse Basis at
7/03/2006 05:45:00 AM PERMALINK
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