Sleep apnea is a significant sleep condition that results in frequent interruptions in breathing while asleep. These breathing pauses can vary in duration from a few seconds to a minute and may happen several times each hour. If not addressed, sleep apnea can result in serious health issues, such as heart disease, stroke, and high blood pressure.
Types and Causes of Sleep Apnea
There are three main types of sleep apnea:
- Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA): being the most common type, it is caused by the relaxation of muscles of the throat, which blocks the airway during sleep. Common factors such as obesity, enlarged tonsils, and nasal congestion increase the risk.
- Central Sleep Apnea (CSA): this occurs when there is a failure to send proper signals from the brain to the muscles involved in controlling of breathing. It is often linked to neurological conditions and heart failure.
- Complex Sleep Apnea Syndrome: A combination of both OSA and CSA.
Symptoms of Sleep Apnea
Common symptoms include loud snoring, choking or gasping for air during sleep, excessive daytime sleepiness, morning headaches, irritability, and difficulty concentrating.
As many people who are suffering from sleep apnea are unaware of their condition, the symptoms are noticed by family members or partners.
Diagnosis and Treatment
Sleep study (polysomnography) is a tool used to diagnose sleep apnea. Treatment options may vary according to the severity of the condition diagnosed during the sleep study.
- Lifestyle Changes: Weight loss, avoiding alcohol, and sleeping on one’s side can reduce symptoms.
- Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) Therapy: this is a device that delivers air pressure through a mask to keep the airway open. Sometimes BiPAP devices are also used.
- Oral Appliances: there are some devices or tools that reposition the jaw to prevent airway blockage.
- Surgery: In severe cases, some structural modifications are performed to remove excess throat tissue or correct structural issues.