Timothy Stow of Inver Grove Heights, Minn. worked hard,
exercised often and thought he got plenty of sleep. Yet he never felt rested.
The 20-year-old salesman dozed off during meetings and had four car accidents
after falling asleep at the wheel. {{U}}(46) {{/U}} {{U}}
(47) {{/U}}Electrodes affixed from head to toe kept track of all
activity in his brain, heart, eyes, faces, arms and legs. {{U}}
(48) {{/U}} When he slept, the soft tissue at the back of his throat,
near the base of his tongue, collapsed against itself, blocking air intake. Each
time his breath was cut off—about 100 times an hour—his brain would alert him to
awaken and breathe. He never woke to full consciousness, but neither did he fall
into a deep, restful sleep. Sleep apnea afflicts millions of
Americans, typically middle-aged, overweight men. The problem begins gradually
with loud and prolonged snoring. {{U}}(49) {{/U}} In severe cases, the
victim spends most of his sleep time not breathing. Doctors
at the center gave Stow a Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) device.
{{U}}(50) {{/U}}
A. Now when he retires, he straps over his nose a soft rubber mask
connected to a small unit that supplies just enough air pressure to hold his
airway open so he can breathe continuously.
B. Finally his doctor sent him to the Minnesota Regional Sleep Disorders
Center in Minneapolis.
C. Later, at the end of each run of snores comes a brief breath-holding
spell.
D. Doctors soon realized that Stow was a victim of sleep apnea.
| E. Many people have chronic sleep problems. F. Placed in
a quiet room, Stow went to sleep at his usual
time. |