Restless Nights: Understanding Snoring and Sleep Apnea.PERETZ LAVIE Sleep researchers believe that 1 man in 10 has sleep apnea sleep apnea, episodes of interrupted breathing during sleep. Obstructive sleep apnea is a common disorder in which relaxation of muscles in the throat repeatedly close off the airway during sleep; the person wakes just enough to take a gasping breath. . In the most extreme cases, sufferers may go 90 seconds without a breath and suffer sleep deprivation sleep deprivation Sleep disorders A prolonged period without the usual amount of sleep. See Driver fatigue, Poor sleeping hygiene, Sleep disorders, Sleep-onset insomnia. regularly. Yet sleep apnea wasn't considered a problem until recently. Lavie, a sleep specialist and professor at Technion-lsrael Institute of Technology, traces the history of this disorder. He explains the mechanics of breathing and the role of oxygen in the body. Then, he dissects sleep apnea by detailing the symptoms (including snoring snoring, rough, vibratory sounds made in breathing during sleep or coma. The noisy breathing is the result of an open mouth and a relaxation of the palate; it is frequently induced by lying on one's back. ) and treatments. He also outlines risk factors for the problem and its links to cardiovascular disease Cardiovascular disease Disease that affects the heart and blood vessels. Mentioned in: Lipoproteins Test cardiovascular disease . Many case studies, including those of children with breathing disorders in sleep, enliven the text and illustrate the magnitude of the problem. Originally published in Israel in 2002. Yale U Pr, 2003, 274 p., b&w illus., hardcover, $27.50. |
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