The Connection Between Bed Wetting and Sleep Apnea

Sleep apnea is a sleeping disorder, one in which a person stops breathing repetitively throughout the night. These pauses usually last for periods of ten seconds or longer and sometimes even as long as a minute. This is why it is so frightening to experience, not only for the actual sufferer but to those around them as well. When you add bed wetting, sleep apnea becomes very frightening for children or adults.

There are actually three different types of sleep apnea that one may develop, which are obstructive, central, and mixed.

No Sweet Dreams Here

There are connections with sleep apnea and other conditions, and one in particular is bed wetting and sleep apnea. Bed wetting and sleep apnea are actually common problems, and there are many reasons for this.

While most people with a bed wetting problem have no medical reasons for doing so, there are some people who have developed the bed wetting habit after developing sleep apnea. It is important to know that open mouth breathing during sleep is not what actually causes bed wetting, however open mouth breathing and bed wetting are both symptoms of sleep apnea.

Treatment

Whether you have just developed sleep apnea and bed wetting or have been suffering with them for some time now, you are going to want to find treatment as soon as you can. There are a few different options that you have here, and one of the most popular is CPAP, or Continuous Positive Airway Pressure therapy. This is the most widely recommended treatment for moderate to severe sleep apnea conditions.

This treatment involves the person wearing a mask-like device while they are sleeping. This mask works by supplying pressurized air, which helps to prevent the airway from collapsing.
Surgery is also an option however this is one of most serious treatment options and usually is only recommended after all other methods have been tried to no avail.

Bed wetting and sleep apnea is obviously never enjoyable. If you have developed bed wetting as a result of your sleep apnea condition, you are going to want to discuss this with your doctor immediately. The longer you let a problem like bed wetting go, the worse it is going to get and the more difficult it will be to treat. Also bed wetting is incredibly embarrassing, especially if you are a grown adult. Work closely together with your doctor to make sure that you are making proper improvement.