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OBSTRUCTIVE SLEEP
APNEA-CENTRAL SLEEP APNEA-MIXED APNEA
Obstructive sleep apnoea is
the more common type of sleep apnoea, earning its name because it's
characterized by an obstructed airway.
In central sleep apnoea,
which is more difficult to treat, the airway isn't blocked.
Instead, your brain periodically fails to trigger your body's
normal breathing reflex, resulting in breathing stoppages. (CPAP or
BiPAP are the only treatments for this type of
condition)
Some people may have mixed
apnea — a combination
of obstructive sleep apnoea and central sleep apnea.
In all these types, breathing
is interrupted, usually between 10 and 30 seconds at a time, until
you rouse to a lighter level of sleep or brief wakefulness.
Breathing resumes, but after you again fall asleep, the cycle
continues.
Sleep apnoea is most common
after middle age — and particularly among those who are overweight
— but it can also affect children. Many people may be unaware of
their condition.
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