Services

Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation

Sleep Apnea

Belmond Medical Center Cardio-Pulmonary department will soon be upgrading their sleep program in an effort to ease scheduling variables and better utilize pre-existing staff.
Please contact your personal physician for questions, concerns for more information.

Sleep Apnea the Basics
Sleep Apnea is a disorder of breathing during sleep. Typically it is accompanied by loud snoring. Apneas during sleep consist of brief periods throughout the night in which breathing stops. People with sleep apnea do not get enough oxygen during sleep. There are two major types.

Obstructive Sleep Apnea - the most common type and is due to an obstruction in the throat during sleep. Bed partners notice pauses approximately 10 to 60 seconds between loud snores. The narrowing of the upper airway can be a result of several factors including inherent physical characteristics, excess weight and alcohol consumption before sleep.

Central Sleep Apnea - caused by a delay in the signal from the brain to breathe. With both obstructive and central apnea, you must wake up briefly to breathe, sometimes hundreds of times during the night. Usually there is no memeory of these brief awakenings.

Most Common Symptoms

Loud snoring
Waking up non-refreshed and having trouble staying awake during the day.
Waking up sweating

Simple Test For Sleep Apnea (Snore Score)

Yes or No - Are you loud, habitual snorer, disturbing your bedroom companion?
Yes or No - Do you feel tired and groggy on awakening?
Yes or No - Do you experience sleepiness and fatigue during waking hours?
Yes or No - Are you overweight?
Yes or No - Have you been observed to choke, gasp or hold your breath during sleep?

If you answered yes to any of the above, you should discuss your symptoms with your physician.