Sleep Apnea

Sleep apnea is a serious sleep disorder that occurs when a person's breathing is interrupted during sleep. People with untreated sleep apnea stop breathing repeatedly during their sleep, sometimes hundreds of times. This means the brain -- and the rest of the body -- may not get enough oxygen.  

There are two types of sleep apnea:

• Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA): The more common of the two forms of apnea, it is caused by a blockage of the airway, usually when the soft tissue in the back of the throat collapses during sleep.
• Central sleep apnea: Unlike OSA, the airway is not blocked but the brain fails to signal the muscles to breathe due to instability in the respiratory control center.

Am I at Risk for Sleep Apnea?

Sleep apnea can affect anyone at any age, even children. Risk factors for sleep apnea include:

• Male gender
• Being overweight
• Being over the age of forty
• Having a large neck size (17 inches or greater in men and 16 inches or greater in women)
• Having large tonsils, a large tongue, or a small jaw bone
• Having a family history of sleep apnea
• Gastroesophageal reflux, or GERD
• Nasal obstruction due to a deviated septum, allergies, or sinus problems
  

 What Are the Effects of Sleep Apnea?
If left untreated, sleep apnea can result in a growing number of health problems including:

• High blood pressure
• Stroke
• Heart failure, irregular heart beats, and heart attacks
• Diabetes
• Depression
• Worsening of ADHD 

In addition, untreated sleep apnea may be responsible for poor performance in everyday activities, such as at work and school, motor vehicle crashes, as well as academic underachievement in children and adolescents.

It's summertime! Make living heart healthy!

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Longer days and rising temperatures signal summertime. The American Heart Association has some tips to help you stay active, safe and heart healthy when it’s hot outside.

Beat the heat

You can stay active and beat the heat by:

• Going to a gym for a nice, cool environment with a variety of activities.
• Visiting your favorite local swimming hole or taking swimming lessons at a pool.
• Starting a walking group with your friends at the mall.
  • The MyStart! Community, a new online tool, encourages walkers to connect with others — whether from the neighborhood or on the other side of the country — to stay on track with a walking program.
• Taking up an indoor sport, such as racquetball, basketball or volleyball, or taking an aerobics class.
• Going ice skating.

If you exercise outside when it’s hot and humid, wear light, comfortable clothing and work out in the early morning or late evening. Know the symptoms of heat exhaustion and heat stroke. If you experience symptoms, stop exercising and cool down immediately by dousing yourself with cold water. You may need medical attention. Heat exhaustion can progress quickly to heat stroke, which can kill you.

Learn more about hot weather and cardiovascular disease and the symptoms of heat exhaustion and stroke.

Come on in, the water’s fine

Headed to the pool, lake or ocean this summer? Make sure you’re prepared. Drowning is a leading cause of death in infants, children and adolescents. Learn cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) so you can act quickly to prevent drowning.

Find a CPR class near you.

Fire up the grill

Dusting off the old grill? Keep these tips in mind to help you grill “fat-sensibly” this summer.

• Go for grilled fish. The healthiest types include salmon, trout and herring, which are high in heart- healthy omega-3 fatty acids.
• Buy chicken breasts instead of the fattier dark meat (legs and thighs). Remember to remove the skin before eating or try grilling chicken or turkey burgers using breast meat and add diced onions for more flavor.
• Choose “loin” and “round” cuts of red meat and pork. Look for “choice” or “select” grades of beef instead of “prime.” While these have the least amount of fat, don’t forget to trim the fat when you get home.
• Use a rack so the fat drips away from the food.

Boost your recipe collection with fat-friendly recipes from the American Heart Association's Face the Fats program.