Central Sleep Apnea

Plenty of people recognize insomnia, but don’t recognize hypersomnia and believe it is just a natural way of life. Hypersomnia is excessive fatigue during the day, which can be attributed to sleep apnea.

Sleep apnea often plagues people and they do not even know it. Sleep apnea is when a person experiences episodes of disrupted breathing patterns during the night, or when a person stops breathing periodically through the night.

Central sleep apnea is a less common category of sleep apnea. CSA occurs when the brain stops sending signals to the muscles that control breathing. Of all those suffer from sleep apnea, less than 5 percent of them have CSA. Central sleep apnea is typically a symptom from another medical condition that is associated with the brainstem.

Often those who have sleep apnea do not even recognize the signs. Disrupted breathing patterns ruin sleep efficiency, but do not always wake individuals up. Some people can suffer from sleep apnea for years without diagnosing the disorder. Sleep apnea is commonly recognized by a second party who observes when an individual stops breathing.

Idiopathic central sleep apnea is the only type of CSA that is not associated with other diseases. CSA is usually associated with congestive heart failure, severe obesity, or certain painkillers. Sleep clinics can diagnose sleep apnea. Doctors should diagnose underlying medical reasons that create CSA.

People who suffer from insomnia related to CSA should actually avoid taking any sedatives. Sedatives tend to relax muscles, which is a troublesome idea when these same muscles are not receiving the signals to control breathing.

Treatments for CSA are different for each individual. Some people may be given a nasal CPAP or a BiPAP. Both devices keep the airways open and facilitate oxygen flow. There are some prescribed medications that can help stimulate breathing as well.

If you wake up in the middle of the night short of breath, or are chronically fatigued during the day, sleep apnea could be the underlying cause and you should consider seeing a doctor.

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