Women’s Health Information

A Fatal Slumber: What is Sleep Apnea?

Do you snore while you are sleeping? Do you wake up during the night sometimes with the sensation of choking or grasping for breath? Do you wake up with headaches and have trouble staying awake during the day?

If you answered yes to the questions above, chances are you may already be under a threat of a serious, potentially life-threatening sleeping disorder called sleep apnea.

Sleep apnea is a breathing disorder characterized by brief interruptions of breathing during sleep. It comes from the Greek word, apnea, meaning “want of breathe.”

There are two types of sleep apnea: central and obstructive. Central sleep apnea, which is less common, occurs when the brain fails to send the appropriate signals to the breathing muscles to initiate respirations, usually with decreases in blood oxygen saturation. Obstructive sleep apnea is far more common and occurs when air cannot flow into or out of the person’s nose or mouth usually accompanied by a reduction in blood oxygen saturation, and followed by an awakening to breathe.

According to the National Institute of Health, sleep apnea affects more than 18 million Americans. It occurs in all age groups and both sexes but is more common to men over the age of forty. Sleep apnea seems to run in some families, suggesting a possible genetic basis.

Early recognition and treatment of sleep apnea is important because it may be associated with memory problems, weight gain, impotency, irregular heartbeat, high blood pressure, heart attack, and stroke.

Sleep apnea generally has the following symptoms:

• Loud, frequent snoring. This is probably the best and most obvious indicator. Though not everyone who snores has sleep apnea.

• Cessation of breathing during sleep.

• Excessive daytime sleepiness/fatigue.

• Un-refreshing sleep with feelings of grogginess, dullness, morning headaches and severe dryness of mouth.

Fortunately, sleep apnea can be diagnosed and treated. Several treatment options exist, such as behavioral therapy, physical or mechanical therapy and surgery. For many sleep apnea patients, their spouses are the first ones to suspect that something is wrong, usually from their heavy snoring and apparent struggle to breathe.

Friends or coworkers of the sleep apnea victim may notice that the individual falls asleep during the day at inappropriate times, such as while driving a car, working or talking. The patient often does not know he or she has a problem. It is important that the person see a doctor for further evaluation.

This article is courtesy of ProsShapeRX

The Black Dog Institute launches a bipolar disorder website. It is said to be a new internet based education program that will help thousands of Australians who suffer from Bipolar Disorder.

Sydney’s Black Dog Institute, are the producers of this program which says that there are up to 5 percent of Australians that may experience Bipolar Disorder.

For those who maybe wondering what Bipolar Disorder is… it is described as a set of ‘mood swing’ conditions with the most severe form called… manic depression.

You can read more about Bipolar Disorder here.

Many women and men around the world live with a disorder called Obsessive Compulsive Disorder… or OCD. It is a mental condition that some who do not understand it will not recognize the affects that it has on people. OCD affects people in different ways. Not all symptoms are the same.

My partner has told me about his mother who would often spend up to 30 minutes at a time making sure the front door was locked before going out. While other people will clean and clean and clean, over and over and over again. Others will wash their hands constantly, making sure they are clean…

C Fieldson wrote this article for Women’s Health Information – the title is Again and Again and Again. It is an article explaining a little about Obsessive Compulsive Disorder…

Again and Again and Again
(Obsessive Compulsive Disorder)

Anxiety disorders are a known part of any society and have been for countless eons. Stories throughout the ages have characters plagued by phobias, panic attacks, anxiety and obsessions.

Acknowledgement of the commonality of these mental conditions doesn’t always make it easier to seek treatment or get help in handling the day to day fight. Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is perhaps one of the most mentioned as its behaviors or compulsions are easier to notice than the inner mental issues behind them.

One example of OCD is the compulsive hand washing of the queen in Hamlet as she tries to erase the illusionary guilt/fear she feels, repeating the action again and again.

OCD is an anxiety disorders characterized by the presence of recurring intrusive and unwanted thoughts, images or impulses - obsessions and repetitive behavioral and mental rituals - compulsions such as an obsession about germs and the repeated obsessive need to wash and rewash one’s hands after touching anything again and again.

A sufferer from OCD is aware that their symptoms are irrational and excessive but find the obsessions controllable and the compulsions difficult or impossible to resist.

The symptoms of OCD vary in type but the common thread is that they are distressing, exhausting, take up a lot of time and can significantly interfere with the person’s family and social relationships, daily routines, education and ability to work.

Some common obsessions include: fear of contamination from germs and dirt; fear of harm to self and others; intrusive sexual thoughts or images, concerns with symmetry, illness or religious issues; an intense, irrational fear of everyday objects and situations (phobias).

Common compulsions can include washing, cleaning, checking, hoarding, touching, counting and repeating routine activities and actions. Time spent dealing with one’s inner struggles over these issues can overwhelm her. It becomes difficult to carve out time for family, friends, chores and daily needs beyond the compulsions.

Although the causes of OCD are not completely understood researches know that they are related to chemical, structural and functional abnormalities of the brain. Genetics and hereditary factors play a role and outside stressful events, hormonal changes and personality traits all come into play as well.

It is estimated that at least three people in every hundred suffers from OCD at some time in their lives.

Treatment, as for almost any mental illness, uses a combination of medication, therapy and community support to help a patient handle this illness.

Medication is used to help restore chemical balance in the brain as well to help control the obsessions and compulsions. For OCD cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) is often used to help a patient identify symptoms of their illness and work out alternative ways of looking at the problem and coping with the effects in their daily lives.

This is especially important step of treatment. Learning how to deal with the stresses of their daily lives OCD can make managing home life difficult and CBT can help provide effective management tools for accomplishing family tasks.

Support and counseling for families is also essential in coping with the lingering effects of OCD by encouraging family to help relieve some of the day to day struggle to complete tasks and offer understanding and acceptance to the patient.

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder can make a normal life seem like a minefield filled with hidden dangers but supportive family and friends can help an OCD sufferer seek the medical help and treatment that will make life bearable and eventually fulfilling once again.