Sleep Apnea Trivia Quiz

Answer: either of these

Sleep apnea means that a person stops breathing while they're asleep. When oxygen levels drop too low or carbon dioxide levels become too high, the person wakes up and begins to breathe. In obstructive sleep apnea, the most common type, the muscles in and around the airway relax too much while the person is asleep and the airway collapses.

In central sleep apnea, the brain doesn't send the appropriate messages to start breathing. It is also possible to have combined sleep apnea, where the airway collapses after the brain fails to initiate breathing.

Answer: several hundred times

Since people don't usually wake fully, they often aren't aware that they woke up. Some people are aware that they're tired during the day. As strange as it may sound, others aren't. Sleep apnea often takes years to diagnose. After years without a single night of uninterrupted sleep, many people forget what 'normal' feels like and don't realize that anything's wrong.

Answer: all of these

People with untreated sleep apnea lack energy, which can make it difficult to lose or maintain weight. It may also alter a person's metabolism. When people stop breathing during the night, their heart rate and blood pressure increase in an attempt to compensate.

The high blood pressure often continues during the day. It also contributes to strokes and heart attacks, another possible complication.

Answer: shift work

Excess weight is not only a risk factor; it also increases the severity of sleep apnea. The good news is that when sleep apnea is treated, most people find it much easier to lose weight. Other risk factors are age and gender (males are more likely to have OSA).

The typical OSA patient is an obese male over 50 years old who snores heavily - but always remember that many OSA patients are not typical. It's very possible for a young woman of ideal weight who doesn't snore to have OSA.

Answer: CPAP or Bi-level therapy

Weight loss helps, but it doesn't usually cure the condition. Surgery can be appropriate in certain circumstances, but it has a low success rate overall. Medication can actually worsen the situation. Some OSA patients wake frequently during the night. Prior to being appropriately diagnosed, they are often prescribed some sort of sedative to help them sleep through the night. Sedatives make the muscles in the airway relax more and will increase the number of apneas. CPAP stands for Continuous Positive Air Pressure.

It's a machine that delivers pressurised air, usually through a mask over the nose. The air pressure prevents the airway from collapsing. A Bi-level machine is like a CPAP, but it decreases the pressure during exhalation.

Answer: False

Many factors can cause your prescribed pressure to change, weight gain or loss being the most common. It's very important to continue with regular sleep studies to ensure that the pressure remains correct.

Answer: any or all of these

A dry throat is usually caused by air leakage through the mouth. With air pressure delivered through the nose only, air will flow out your mouth if you open it while you're asleep. A chin strap can help by forcing you to keep your mouth closed. Alternately, a full face mask will equalise pressure at the nose and mouth.

Answer: check the fit or try a new type of mask

People should never get pressure sores from their masks. If someone does, it's usually not fitted properly. It may be the wrong size, the straps may be too tight or it may not be positioned properly. People often overtighten the mask to eliminate leaks. Overtightening can actually worsen leaks, most of which are caused by poor positioning. If the pressure continues to be a problem after everything else has been adjusted, other types of masks are now available.

The most common kind seals directly at the nostrils.

A mouth-only mask with no straps has also been developed.

Answer: try a Bi-level

The air pressure has been set based on individual needs. It will not be effective if it is changed. If you're new to CPAP, it's usually worth just trying to live with it for a few weeks. It feels very strange at the beginning, but many people get used to it. If it continues to be a problem, you can switch to a Bi-level machine. Bi-levels decrease the pressure during exhalation.

They're more expensive than CPAPs, but if it makes the situation tolerable then it may well be worth it.

Answer: get used to it

Some masks are less obtrusive than others, but for the most part you're stuck with this one. If it's elephants in particular you object to, some masks will let you do a rhinoceros impression. For what it's worth, most bed partners prefer sleeping with an elephant to sleeping with a jackhammer.