Sleep Apnea

Sleep apnea is a potentially serious sleep disorder marked by an abnormal breathing pattern during sleep. Because breathing repeatedly stops and starts, sleep apnea can cause lower-quality sleep and affect the body’s supply of oxygen, leading to potentially serious health consequences. If you snore loudly and feel tired even after a good night's sleep, you might have sleep apnea.

The main types of sleep apnea are:

Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA): OSA occurs when the muscles in your throat relax enough for soft tissues to block your airway. That obstruction causes temporary lapses in breath. OSA is the most common type of sleep apnea.
Central Sleep Apnea (CSA): CSA occurs when your brain doesn't send proper signals to the muscles involved in respiration, leading to shallower and slower breathing.
Mixed Sleep Apnea: This occurs when someone has both OSA and CSA.

Symptoms

The signs and symptoms of obstructive and central sleep apneas are quite similar, often making it difficult to determine which type you have. The most common signs and symptoms of obstructive and central sleep apneas include:

Excessive daytime sleepiness
Loud snoring
Observed episodes of stopped breathing during sleep (often witnessed by a partner)
Abrupt awakenings accompanied by gasping or choking
Awakening with a dry mouth or sore throat
Morning headache
Difficulty paying attention while awake
Difficulty staying asleep (insomnia)
Irritability

Causes/Risk Factors

Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA): OSA occurs when a person’s airway becomes blocked while they sleep. Many factors have been found to increase the risk of airway blockage and OSA, including:

Obesity: Fat deposits around your upper airway can obstruct your breathing.
Anatomical characteristics: The size and positioning of a person’s neck, jaw, tongue, tonsils, and other tissue near the back of the throat can directly affect airflow.
Sedatives: Use of sedatives, including alcohol may cause tissue in the throat to relax, making it easier for the airway to become obstructed.
Family history: People with relatives with OSA are more likely to develop OSA themselves.
Smoking: Smoking can increase the amount of inflammation and fluid retention in the upper airway.
Sleeping on your back
Advanced Age: Sleep apnea occurs significantly more often in older adults, especially men.
Nasal congestion: People who can’t breathe properly through their noses are more likely to experience OSA.
Medical conditions: Congestive heart failure, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes and Parkinson's disease are some of the conditions that may increase the risk of obstructive sleep apnea. Polycystic ovary syndrome, hormonal disorders, prior stroke and chronic lung diseases such as asthma can also increase risk.
Hormone abnormalities: Certain hormone conditions may increase the risk of OSA by causing swelling of tissue near the airway and/or contributing to a person’s risk of obesity.

Complications

Sleep apnea can be a serious medical condition. Complications can include:

High blood pressure or heart problems. Random drops in blood oxygen levels that occur during sleep apnea increase blood pressure and strain the cardiovascular system.
Daytime fatigue
Depression or moodiness
Stroke
Atrial fibrillation and other arrhythmias
Type 2 diabetes
Metabolic syndrome. This disorder, which includes high blood pressure, abnormal cholesterol levels, high blood sugar and an increased waist circumference, is linked to a higher risk of heart disease.
Complications with medications and surgery
Liver problems
Sleep-deprived partners. Loud snoring can be a no-no for a partner getting a good night’s sleep.

Treatment

Treatment options for Obstructive Sleep Apnea, include:

Positive airway pressure (PAP) treatment (such as CPAP or BPAP machine) is most common and has high success rates.
Weight loss
Positional therapy (such as pillows to prevent back sleeping).
Dental devices can prevent airway obstruction by positioning the lower jaw forward
Supplemental oxygen
Surgery or other procedures

Treatments for Central Sleep Apnea might include:

Addressing underlying medical conditions. For example, treatment for heart failure might improve central sleep apnea.
Reduction of opioid medications
Positive airway pressure (PAP) treatment (such as a CPAP or BPAP machine) is most common and has high success rates.
Medications
Weight loss
Surgery or other procedures

When to see a doctor

Talk to your doctor if you have signs or symptoms of sleep apnea. Treatment can ease your symptoms and might help prevent heart problems and other complications.