Random facts about sleep apnea Blogger:Being Sane Takes Too Much Work

Sleep apnea is a serious sleep disorder that occurs when a person's breathing is interrupted during sleep. Some 40 million people have apnea or some related forms of sleep-disordered breathing. A quarter of middle-aged men are afflicted. The majority of sufferers have never been diagnosed, which can be lethal. Using a continuous positive airway pressure(CPAP) machine is the most common treatment. According to a University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health study, those with severe apnea are four times more likely to have a stroke, twice as likely to develop depression and five times more likely to die from cancer. One study found that apnea sufferers get Alzheimer's disease five years earlier than sound sleepers do. Also, those afflicted with apnea show milder cognitive impairments a decade earlier than those without. Polysomnography tests track a physical processes, from brain waves and eye and limb movements to heart activity and blood oxygeneration levels. Night vision cameras, microphones and a serious of wires all track sleep when being tested for apnea and other sleep disorders. Also used during the sleep study are: Electrocardiogram-electrodes detect heart rate and rhythm Electrooculogram-sensor picks up eye movement during sleep Electroencephalogram sensors-measure electrical activity in the brain Nasal airflow sensor-monitors breathing irregularities