Sleep Disorders / Sleep Apnea

Description of Sleep Disorders

Any kind of sleep disorder will cause you to feel tired. I think that's pretty obvious. That is why this report won't discuss the disorders that are easily identified (if you are unable to sleep, you will feel tired, but you will know why). I will, however, focus on one sleep condition that can easily go undetected for a long time – sleep apnea.

But first, I'm going to give you just a quick, general overview of other most common sleep disorders:

• Insomnia – An inability to fall asleep or stay asleep during the night. Daytime tiredness is a common result of this condition
• Narcolepsy – The most common signs of narcolepsy are excessive sleepiness during the day and episodes of suddenly falling asleep. Other symptoms may include loss of muscle control, sleep paralysis and even hallucinations.
• Restless leg syndrome – People that suffer from this condition feel the irresistible urge to move their legs shortly after they get into bed or after awakening during the night. This unpleasant feeling usually improves with movement – walking around or gently rubbing your legs usually helps.

Sleep apnea

Sleep apnea (apnea is a Greek for “without breath”) is a condition in which a person stops breathing for 10 seconds or more during sleep. It is fairly common in adult population. Some people that suffer from this condition completely wake up during an episode of apnea, others don't. But even if you don't actually wake up, your sleep will be disturbed and you will fell tired in the morning.

Because a lot of people don't wake up and others that do sometimes don't remember it in the morning, this condition can easily go unnoticed.

Symptoms

The most common signs of sleep apnea are:

• Tiredness and excessive sleepiness during the day
• Breathing cessation during sleep
• Snoring
• Abrupt awakenings, accompanied with gasping for air
• Morning headaches
• Difficulty staying asleep

Tests & Diagnosis

The doctor can usually make a diagnosis based on the patient's description of the symptoms. Alternatively, a person can go to a sleep center where further evaluation can be made. You will probably have to spend the night there, so they can monitor your breathing and general body functions during sleep.

Treatment

Milder cases of apnea can improve with simple lifestyle changes. More severe apnea, however, is not so easily treatable. If that is the case, treatment can involve the use of special devices that help keep the obstructed airway open. There are several kinds of these machines available. One sort brings air pressure through your nose while you sleep. Another option is an oral appliance designed to keep your throat open. Surgery is also an option, but is only used in extreme cases.

Conclusion

Sleep apnea is definitely a possible cause of tiredness, as are many other sleep related problems. Other medical conditions that could be responsible for your tiredness include:

• Overactive Thyroid Gland - Hyperthyroid

• Underactive Thyroid Gland - Hypothyroidism

• Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS)

• Iron Deficiency Anemia

• Fibromyalgia
  

Important!

Tiredness, however, is in most cases not caused by a medical condition. A lot of people are surprised to learn that the most common cause of tiredness is their lifestyle. They are tired because of the way they eat, sleep, work and spend their free time. If you want to know what to do in this case then the End Tiredness Program could be the answer you were searching for. It will show you why you feel tired and explain the things that you can do in order to stop feeling tired - once and for all.