Sleep Medicine in Pueblo, CO
Sleep disorders are as individual as you are, because they are influenced by your body size, shape and overall health. That is why an individualized approach to your sleep treatment is so important. Click on the video to the left of the page to watch a simulation of what sleep apnea really is. We have mapped out a simple explanation and breakdown about what you should know about Sleep Apnea.
Sleep apnea is a common sleeping disorder marked by shallow breathing, pauses in breath and labored breathing punctuated by gasping or snoring sounds. Pauses of breath can last from several seconds up to minutes and can happen from five to thirty times or more per hour. A pause may be followed by a choking or snorting sound as the sleeper involuntarily gasps for breath.
As oxygen is restricted to the lungs, blood and brain, the sleeper is less likely to fall into deep, or REM sleep. A lack of quality sleep can lead a variety of serious health concerns including heart disease, high blood pressure, stroke, diabetes and depression
There are three types of Sleep Apnea:
- Central Sleep Apnea - CSA is when the brains respiratory control centers are imbalanced during sleep; your brain is not getting enough oxygen to tell you to breathe.
- Obstructive Sleep Apnea - OSA is the most common type and is caused by an obstruction or collapse of the upper airway.
- Mixed Sleep Apnea - MSA is a combination of Central and Obstructive Sleep Apnea.
Sleep Apnea is broken down into severity groups:
The American Academy of Sleep Medicine has published methods for grading the severity of sleep apnea. One method is based on the number of breathing disruptions per hour of sleep.
- Mild
- Moderate
- Severe
If you are interested in learning more about oro-sleep medicine from Dr. Villalon, call our office in Pueblo, CO at (719) 542-7844 today!
