Sleep apnea is a sleep disorder that can be very serious and even dangerous. This article will cover some of the basics of sleep apnea to give you an idea of what it is, what the risk factors are and what treatment options are available. We will have more articles published on sleep apnea that will go into more detail about each of the points covered in this article.

What is Sleep Apnea?

Sleep apnea is defined as a condition that involves the interruption of breathing during sleep. Some people suffering from sleep apnea may stop breathing over 100 times during one night which indicates a severe form of the syndrome. Mild sleep apnea sufferers may stop breathing just a few times during sleep but this is still a cause for concern.

Am I At Risk for Sleep Apnea?

There are no restrictions upon who can suffer from sleep apnea but there are some factors which will make you more prone to being affected. These include:

• being male: more males suffer from sleep apnea than females
• being overweight
• Age 40 or older
• Large neck size
• Sleep apnea in the family history
• Larger tonsils

These are just some of the sleep apnea risk factors.

What Are the Effects of Sleep Apnea?

Untreated sleep apnea can result in many different health problems both in the short term and long term. These include stroke, heart failure, heart attack and hypertension. It can also result in disruption to daily activities due to a lack of sleep. This can affect work, school, driving and other daily tasks.

What are the Different Types of Sleep Apnea?

There are two main recognized types of sleep apnea. They are Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) and Central Sleep Apnea.

Obstructive Sleep Apnea
This is the most common type. It happens when there is a blockage in the airway. This is generally caused by the soft tissue of the pharynx relaxing whilst you are asleep. This blocks airflow. OSA most commonly affects men aged between 30 and 50. The person will be startled awake when blood oxygen levels drop.

Central Sleep Apnea
This does not involve the airway being blocked but instead occurs when the brain does not tell your muscles to breathe. This occurs due to problems in the respiratory control center of the brain and nervous system. This is a rarer type of sleep apnea. Some causes of central sleep apnea are stroke or head injury.

What Are The Causes?

There are several reasons why your airways may block during sleep to cause sleep apnea. These include having throat and tongue muscles that are more relaxed than they should be. You may also have a larger tongue in comparison to your windpipe opening.

Being overweight is also a major cause and risk factor as there is extra soft tissue which causes thickening of the windpipe wall, resulting in a narrower opening for air to pass through. Even the shape of your neck or head can result in a smaller airway, causing breathing problems during sleep.

As you can see, many causes of sleep apnea are out of your control and may be a result of your genetic make up. Therefore it is vital to focus on the factors in your control such as your weight.

Who’s At Risk For Sleep Apnea?

Anyone can get sleep apnea but it is more common in males over the age of 30. However children are also known to suffer from the condition. There are some risk factors for sleep apnea including being overweight, having high blood pressure, having a family history of sleep apnea, being a smoker, drinking alcohol or using sedatives and having a larger neck circumference. These are just some of the sleep apnea risks.

What Are The Signs And Symptoms?

Snoring is a major sign of sleep apnea as around 70% of people with it do snore. But not all snorers have sleep apnea; in fact only around 25% of people who snore have sleep apnea, but this is still a significant number and equates to millions of people worldwide. Choking and gasping whilst asleep is the main symptom. Often a person with sleep apnea will have a slowing down of breathing until it stops, and then they are jolted awake by a lack of oxygen in the blood. A loud gasp can then occur.

Sleep apnea patients will also be tired during the day, have trouble concentrating, feel irritable and have a dry throat when waking.

How Do You Diagnose Sleep Apnea?

Family histories, medical history, physical emanation and sleep study results are all ways that a doctor can diagnose sleep apnea. You may then be referred to a sleep specialist.

What Are The Effects, Is It Dangerous?

Serious problems can occur is sleep apnea is not treated. There is a higher risk of stroke or heart disease in serious cases. Also because you are so tired, there is an increased risk in accidents like car and work mishaps occurring.

What Is The Treatment?

There are various treatment options for sleep apnea although there is no universal cure. You can lose weight, stop drinking alcohol, stop smoking, try sleeping on your back, elevate the head in bed with a larger pillow and finally, use a nasal dilator, saline nasal spray or nasal strips to assist in opening the nasal passages. There is also surgery as an option to open the airway size. Tonsils may be removed in some cases.