Dr. John Krehlik, a graduate of the University of Chicago, has practiced as a sleep physician in Anchorage, Alaska, since 2002. In his current position, Dr. John Krehlik specializes in treating sleep apnea, partially through the use of home sleep testing.
Many individuals may be familiar with the condition of sleep apnea, but few appreciate the condition’s seriousness and the discomfort it causes until they or someone close to them experiences it. Essentially, sleep apnea is a condition in which a person’s breathing becomes disrupted during sleep. A person with undiagnosed sleep apnea can stop breathing—potentially hundreds of times—over the course of a single night, resulting in chronic snoring and even oxygen deprivation.
There are two distinct types of sleep apnea: obstructive and central. Obstructive sleep apnea results from a blockage of the airway during sleep. This blockage usually involves airway tissue collapsing and hindering the smooth passage of air. Central sleep apnea, in which the airway is not blocked, is the rarer of the two conditions. Instead, the brain fails in its attempts to signal and operate the body’s breathing muscles. The cause behind central sleep apnea is often attributed to instability in the respiratory control center.
Many individuals may be familiar with the condition of sleep apnea, but few appreciate the condition’s seriousness and the discomfort it causes until they or someone close to them experiences it. Essentially, sleep apnea is a condition in which a person’s breathing becomes disrupted during sleep. A person with undiagnosed sleep apnea can stop breathing—potentially hundreds of times—over the course of a single night, resulting in chronic snoring and even oxygen deprivation.
There are two distinct types of sleep apnea: obstructive and central. Obstructive sleep apnea results from a blockage of the airway during sleep. This blockage usually involves airway tissue collapsing and hindering the smooth passage of air. Central sleep apnea, in which the airway is not blocked, is the rarer of the two conditions. Instead, the brain fails in its attempts to signal and operate the body’s breathing muscles. The cause behind central sleep apnea is often attributed to instability in the respiratory control center.