Sleep Apnea

[I remember Andrew Soliz speaking in the community at the Fall Retreat about his sleep apnea condition and am pleased that we have a direct testimonial from one of the men who benefited from that sharing. That is the overall blessing of men being honest with each other about personal things that one might normally keep to oneself. I thought it might be helpful to put this letter from Bruce Figoten to Andrew in the newsletter with an encouraging statement for men with symptoms to go get checked. It can save a life.
Stephen]

Here is Bruce’s letter:

Hi Andrew,

I want to take this opportunity to thank you for your innate wisdom and courage during the last men's retreat. You told your story about your sleep apnea and also stated that there was a place for western medicine as well as spiritual medicine. Your story got me to thinking about my situation.

In August I was admittied to the hospital with ventricular trigeminy (every 3rd heartbeat was skipping). I stayed overnight and nothing could be found wrong. My cardiologist increased my anti-arrhythmia medication and it got better. However, he thought that I might have sleep apnea, as this can cause my heart condition. He wrote me a prescription for a sleep study and I put it on my desk and forgot about it; I did not want to think about it.

After hearing you talk and recognizing the same symptoms you had, I immediately scheduled a sleep study when I got back from the retreat.

The results from the study not only showed that I had obstructive sleep apnea, but also central apnea. Central apnea is when the signal from the brain to tell my body to breathe does not fire all the time and it causes me to stop breathing. These two apneas together are called complex apnea. I went for another sleep study so they could titrate me on a BPAP [bilevel positive airway pressure] machine that takes care of both apneas.

I have been on this machine for over a week now and feel better already. Abby has noticed the difference in my sleep habits. I no longer snore or fling my arms about and pull the covers from her.

Thank you, brother, for having the courage to tell your story. If it were not for you, I probably would not have done the study and would have continued to be in denial.

I would also like to take this opportunity to wish you and Carrie and your families a very happy and health new year.

Namaste,

Bruce

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Aside from causing sleep deprivation and stress, there are many side effects of sleep apnea that are cause for concern. Sleep apnea is characterized by repeated episodes of apnea, meaning “without breath.” In other words, normal breathing is interrupted up to 50 times per hour during sleep. Not surprisingly, the side effects of sleep apnea can be very dangerous and serious. In fact, sleep apnea can be deadly. If you have symptoms of sleep apnea, it is important to recognize them and get treatment.

Side Effects of Sleep Apnea include the following:

Decreased blood oxygen level. Since breathing is interrupted, when a person has sleep apnea, the oxygen level in the blood decreases while the level of carbon dioxide increases. Having low blood oxygen levels can also affect the brain resulting in equilibrium and memory deficiency.
Compromised immune system. The immune system of an individual suffering of sleep apnea becomes impaired because they don’t receive enough sleep. Constant sleep deprivation reduces the ability of the immune system to fight infection.

Development of Diabetes Mellitus. Diabetes can also be a sleep apnea side effect. Studies have found that patients with obstructive sleep apnea are more than two and one-half times more likely to develop type 2 diabetes. Scientists theorize that high levels of the hormone cortisol that are produced as a result of the stress caused by sleep apnea lead to increased resistance to insulin and glucose intolerance.

Daytime sleepiness and fatigue. Alertness and memory function of a person is affected due to decreased cognitive function with sleep apnea.
Irritability, short-temperedness, anxiety and depression. As sleep apnea can cause sleepiness and fatigue, when a person is sleep deprived, it affects all aspects their temperament both at home and at work.

Headache and migraine. Because of disturbed sleep that leads to blood-oxygen depletion and constriction of the small blood vessels in the brain, morning headaches and migraines can occur.

Sexual function problems. Another side effect of sleep apnea is sexual dysfunction in both men and women. Blood oxygen deficiency in major body organs can result from sleep apnea. There are medical reports stating that men with sleep apnea have problems initiating and sustaining an erection. Studies also find that women with OSA have a significant decrease in sexual function.

Obesity. Aside from being one of the causes of sleep apnea, obesity can also be a side effect of sleep apnea. Hormonal imbalances caused by sleep apnea contribute to weight gain.

Snoring. Snoring is one of the most common side effects of sleep apnea and one of the biggest indicators that sleep apnea is present. People that snore and have other symptoms of sleep apnea should visit a sleep apnea clinic and get tested.

Frequent nighttime urination or nocturia. Sleep apnea causes increased pressure on the right side of the heart as a result of low oxygen levels in the blood. Since increased pressure is also a sign of excess body fluids, doctors believe the body responds by secreting a hormone called atrial natriuretic peptide which is a diuretic and causes sufferers to urinate more frequently.

High Blood Pressure. Hypertension is a common side effect of sleep apnea. Studies show that people with moderate to severe sleep apnea are more than twice as likely to also suffer from high blood pressure. Those suffering from sleep apnea and high blood pressure are also more likely to experience other complications such as heart and kidney damage as well as stroke.

The Side Effects of Sleep Apnea Can Be Deadly

In addition to the health risks posed by the sleep apnea side effects listed above, sleep apnea increase the risk for several more serious cardiac events.

Heart arrhythmias, or an irregular rhythm of the heartbeat. Although often harmless, heart arrhythmias can be a dangerous side effect. Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) can cause both bradycardia, where the heart beats slowly at less than 60 beats per minute, as well as atrial fibrillation (afib), a condition where the electrical signals to the heart become uncoordinated, causing rapid and ineffective heart contractions. Over time, afib can increase the risk for more serious complications such as stroke.

Accidents. Sleep deprivation caused by sleep apnea increases the chances a person will be involved in a serious car accident by as much as five times. The risk of work and industrial accidents is also higher.

Stroke, heart attack and death are the most significant side effects of sleep apnea. Stress placed on the sympathetic nervous system can lead to heart attacks, stoke and even death from sleep apnea. Scientists at the Mayo Clinic discovered that sleep apnea patients suffer twice as many cardiac events while sleeping than while awake; just the opposite of what people without sleep apnea experience. Mortality was also increased by a factor of six.

Every aspect of a person’s life can be affected by sleep apnea. The conditions mentioned above are just a few of the side effects of sleep apnea. It is important to get treatment as soon as possible to prevent it from becoming more serious. Without treatment, the side effects of sleep apnea pose a significant health risk.