Sleep apnea, Charles Dickens & Pickwick papers

Charles Dickens may be one of the greatest novelists of the Victorian period.  Dickens is famous for his humor, satire and keen observation of character.   Dickens started with an 1836 publication known as the "Pickwick papers."

The main character, Samuel Pickwick is a kind and wealthy old gentleman and founder of the Pickwick club.  He is usually portrayed "as a round-faced, clean-shaven, portly gentleman wearing spectacles." Another character, Joe, known as the "Fat boy" "consumes great quantities of food and constantly falls asleep in any situation any time of the day."  Joe's sleep problem is the origin of the medical term Pickwickian syndrome which ultimately led to the development and subsequent description of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome.    (From the article: Literature, Sleep and Dreams in).

What is Sleep Apnea?

Sleep apnea is a condition of interrupted sleep caused by pauses in breathing (apnea). These pauses lead to low oxygen levels in the blood and elevated carbon dioxide levels in the blood. This causes one to wake up briefly and then fall back to sleep. This constant interruption of sleep throughout the night can manifest itself as symptoms of fatigue, daytime sleepiness, falling asleep easily during the day, morning headaches, poor memory and attention and lack of feeling refreshed after a night of sleep.

Risk factors for sleep apnea include being overweight and crowding of the airway (from large tonsils or a large tongue relative to your windpipe). The aging process can also cause abnormal signals from the brain and trigger another type of sleep apnea.

Take a test to see if you are at risk.  You can also take THE SNORE SCORE.  

Untreated Sleep apnea can lead to high blood pressure and increase your risk of heart and lung disease. It can increase your risk of a heart attack if left untreated for many years. Take the above tests and talk to your doctor to see if you might suffer from Sleep apnea.