Sleep apnea

Sleep apnea was once considered a disease exclusive to middle-aged men. It actually occurs in both sexes and children as well. Basically anything that can cause a narrowing of the upper airway can contribute to the development of sleep apnea.

In the case of children, it's more commonly related to having big tonsils or adenoids, Lipsitz said. As such, in kids, surgery can be more often used as a cure-all.

In adults and older people, being overweight or being congested because of allergies can increase the chances of getting sleep apnea. Lipsitz also noted that besides all the other health concerns associated with smoking, it may increase up to 40 times the risk of having a snoring and sleep apnea related problem. The smoke in the upper airway irritates the passageways and they swell up, leaving less room to breathe through during sleep.

"Sleep apnea can lead to the development of high blood pressure, heart attack, stroke, early death, pretty much all the things you'd like to avoid," Lipsitz said. "It's very worrisome and because it keeps disrupting your sleep, unbeknownst to you, it also increases by up to 5 to 7 times the risk of having a motor vehicle crash the next day because you're sleepier than you're aware and you're significantly impaired during the day."

Lipsitz displayed a CPAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure) device. It is a filtered air blower. It is not a ventillator or an oxygen machine. It takes in regular room air and blows it out again at a pressure determined by the doctor's treating you. The air comes through the tubing into a little mask strapped over your nose. The air holds open your upper airway eliminating apneas and the stress on your cardiovascular system. As a bonus, you no longer snore either, Lipsitz said.

For more information about the CPAP device or if you need treatment for a sleeping disorder, contact the Sleep Disorders Centre of Metro Toronto at 416-785-1128 or by e-mail at sleep@compuserve.com