Can a person just completely stop breathing in their sleep?

Question

My body wakes me up because there has been several times i don't breathe its kinda scary..Is this normal?? Has it happened to anyone else??

Answer 1

There are many sleep disorders like sleep apnea. You should discuss this with a doctor. Meanwhile, do some research on the internet.

Sleep apnea is interrupted breathing during sleep. It usually occurs because of a mechanical problem in the windpipe, but it also can indicate a neurological disorder involving nerve cells (neurons). As people age, muscle tone relaxes, which may cause the windpipe to collapse. This condition, called obstructive sleep apnea, results in loud snoring and blocked air flow through the windpipe that lasts from 10 to 60 seconds. It may appear that the person is gasping or snorting. When this occurs, the brain quickly reacts to the sudden lack of oxygen, the muscles tighten, and the windpipe opens.

Narrow nasal passages, enlarged tonsils, and obesity are factors that may contribute to obstructive sleep apnea. The condition may also be related to the use of alcohol, tobacco, or sedatives.

Patients with sleep apnea lose sleep because every time the windpipe closes, the person has to wake up enough to contract those muscles and resume breathing. As a result, the sleep cycle can be interrupted as many as 100 times a night. In addition, every time the windpipe closes, the brain is deprived of oxygen. This lack of oxygen eventually can cause problems morning headaches and decreased mental function. People who have sleep apnea are at increased risk for heart disease and stroke.

Answer 2

yes mam. it happens to me called sleep apnea. your body will stop breathing dont know the exact cause, some say weight some say adenoids, something to do with snoring, some say asthma, but to help i have a bypap machine that i sleep with from the doctor. i would also wake up and realize i had to remind myself to breath. this first happened when i was pregnant with my 11yr old. scared the mess out of me cause i was moving around but not breathing. i tried to wake my then husband up but i couldnt talk it is scary. until you can get the sleep study test done at the doctors try not sleeping on your back and if possible have someone there with you

Answer 3

Yes - it's called Sleep Apnoea, a condition related to snoring. In the most extreme cases it can be fatal and sufferers need to be hooked up to oxygen masks and monitors when they go to sleep.

In less severe cases the person wakes up with a start when they stop breathing, only for the process to be repeated when they fall back to sleep. This causes severe sleep disruption and tiredness which often result in them taking "micro-naps" during the day. Micro-naps are where you fall asleep for a second or two - usually without realising it. This is potentially very dangerous (eg. if it happens when you are driving!).

Anyone who thinks they might be suffering from Sleep Apnoea should see a doctor.

Check out this site for more info >>> http://www.britishsnoring.co.uk/

Answer 4

I have 5 cats, and a few years ago we had a cold like virus that hit 4 of the 5 cats. They had it to varying degrees... sneezing, laboured breathing, bloody nasal discharge from ruptured blood vessels, etc. Their noses became visibly swollen- both the furless part and the upper bridge. Anyhow, one of them got the virus REALLY badly. He was drooling buckets of saliva and getting extremely dehydrated. We had to take him to the vet, and they kept him on I.V. fluids for 3 days. That alone saved his life. If you've exhausted all efforts with finding a vet (have you thought about trading office cleaning services for vet care , or something creative like that?), the only suggestion I can give is to get a small oral syringe for gently feeding her water and some wet canned cat food to "spoon" feed her. The smellier the better- it's hard to get cats to eat if they can't smell the food, and if her nose is clogged she'll have trouble. Hold her up so she's comfortable and can breathe as much as possible (no chest compression) and slowly and gently work the water syringe in towards the side of her mouth. Depress the syringe slowly... you don't want her feeling like you're drowning her. Keep a cup of water near you for easy refilling, and give her water as much as possible for as long as she'll accept it. Keep the food coming as often as she'll accept it. With a lot of gentle nursing, there's a good chance you can get her through this if it's the same virus we had in the house. Don't despair. Keep the fluids coming, though! I wish the best to all of you. It is stressful and heartbreaking, but we're pulling for you.

Answer 5

sleep apnea it happens to a lot of people . when you wake up see how you are laying . if your neck gets pulled down while you sleep or if your head get in a bad position it will shut off your air. my cocker spaniel sleeps with me and when his head is on a pillow he will stop breathing and i hear this and pull the pillow away and it stops. do you sleep with a pillow that holds your head up to high try lowering it . you may want to talk to a doctor

Answer 6

it's called sleep apnia I probably spelled it wrong but it is where you stop breathing in your sleep it isn't normal b/c everyone doesn't have this disorder but it isn't all that uncommon you definetly want to go see a doctor I'm not one to promote going to see the doctor but in these cases it is best b/c they can prescribe you something that may help or put you on a monitor to make sure that yu don't stop completely~~~good luck and please have it checked out

Answer 7

Yes it happened to my brother when he was a baby it got really scary sometimes he had this special thing to lay on and it lets out a really loud beep when the baby stops breathing. but he is better now.

Answer 8

Yes it is called sleep apnea. It can be very serious problem. People who suffer from this are more likely to die of heart attack or stroke. You should see your doctor. You might want to also check out this web site.

Answer 9

Yup, it happens to me sometimes when I'd suddenly wake up. I think the disorder is called sleep apnea.

Answer 10

breathing is an activity that doesn't involve thinking...it's a reflex that the body does without asking the mind.as most reflexes,it's center is in the lower brain.i think you should see a neurologist because you are probably having problems with this part of the brain...i hope this helps!