Sleep apnea is a serious medical condition that currently 
affects approximately eighteen million Americans. Unfortunately, 
this sleep disorder is often ignored due to the fact that the 
leading sleep apnea symptom is simply loud snoring, which many 
people do not consider a concern severe enough to warrant a 
consultation with a physician.  There are two forms of sleep 
apnea; obstructive sleep apnea and central sleep apnea.

Obstructive sleep apnea is normally seen in people who are 
overweight or have a narrow throat or enlarged tonsils or 
adenoids.  This disorder is seen more often in men and older 
people, although anyone of any age or weight can suffer from 
this condition.  Other factors attributed to causing obstructive 
sleep apnea include heredity and the use of chemicals that relax 
the throat muscles, such as alcohol or sedatives.  This form of 
sleep apnea is literally caused by the relaxation of the throat 
muscles, which then prohibits the proper amount of oxygen 
necessary to supply the body from flowing through the airway.

Central sleep apnea is usually caused by medical conditions that 
can prohibit the brain from functioning properly in regard to 
sending signals to various parts of the body that control the 
breathing rhythm.  These medical conditions include, but are 
not limited to, disorders such as Lou Gehrig's disease, muscular 
dystrophy, stroke, injury to the spinal cord, and brain tumors. 
A non-medical cause would be visiting and sleeping in a high 
altitude environment, to which your body is unaccustomed.

The result of either form of sleep apnea results in a severe lack
of quality sleep.  Not only is a person unable to comfortably 
sleep and dream, one will often wake with sore muscles or a 
stiff neck. Feeling fatigued throughout the day is also common. 
Sleep apnea can cause more serious medical complications as 
well, including cardiovascular conditions and poor or negative 
responses to medications and even surgical procedures.

Sleep apnea treatment is varied and is dependent on the severity 
of the individual condition.  It could be resolved simply by 
losing weight and reducing the intake of alcohol and sedatives.  
Sleeping properly with a comfortable sleep pillow that properly 
supports the neck and head is extremely important. Because of 
this, "memory foam" pillows are commonly being recommended to 
sleep apnea patients by their doctors. Sleeping on one's side 
can also be beneficial.  For other people, surgery might be 
necessary to remove unnecessary tissue from the airway.  There 
are devices that supply increased oxygen pressure which have 
been found effective for people suffering from sleep apnea, 
and also dental devices worn at night that assist in opening 
the airway.

If you are experiencing the symptoms of sleep apnea, be sure to 
consult with your physician. The disorder can be so severe that 
a person might find themselves falling asleep at work or while 
driving.  Once treatment has been discussed with a doctor and 
implemented by the person suffering from the disorder, the 
individual will usually begin to experience immediate symptom 
relief and will begin to sleep better and establish a proper 
sleep pattern.