Obstructive Sleep Apnea
The second type of sleep apnea occurs because of actual mechanical obstruction of the upper airways used in breathing. When normal sleepers fall asleep the airway closes slightly. However, in sleepers who have Obstructive Sleep Apnea, the airway collapses, and this obstruction is made even worse by attempts to breathe (Coren, 1996).
Many symptoms are present in a patient who has Obstructive Sleep Apnea. The patient experiences noisy snoring interrupted by silence, apneas, excessive motor activity, morning headaches, and headaches that awaken the sleeper during the night. Because these people lack so much sleep, they usually can fall asleep relatively quickly compared to insomniacs. If the sleep apnea becomes too severe, there are medical treatments available to relieve airway obstruction. Otherwise, simple suggestions like sleeping on one's side, using a firm pillow and mattress, and not smoking tend to help (Pallesen, 2001).
