What is sleep apnea?
Sleep apnea is a serious sleep disorder in which breathing is repeatedly interrupted during sleep. The most common type of sleep apnea is obstructive sleep apnea, which occurs when the throat muscles relax and block the airway.
Other types of sleep apnea include central sleep apnea, which occurs when the brain fails to send signals to the muscles that control breathing, and mixed sleep apnea, which is a combination of both obstructive and central sleep apnea.
Sleep apnea can occur at any age, but it is more common in adults and is more likely to occur in people who are overweight or have certain medical conditions, such as diabetes or heart disease.
Untreated sleep apnea can lead to serious health problems, including high blood pressure, heart attack, stroke, and irregular heartbeat. Treatment for sleep apnea usually involves using a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine during sleep.
What causes sleep apnea
There are three primary types of sleep apnea: obstructive, central, and mixed. Obstructive sleep apnea is the most common type, accounting for an estimated 84 percent of cases. Central sleep apnea, which is much less common, occurs when the brain fails to properly control breathing during sleep. Mixed sleep apnea is a combination of both obstructive and central types.
The most common cause of obstructive sleep apnea is excess weight and obesity. This is because fat deposits around the neck can narrow the airway and make it more difficult to breathe. Other risk factors for obstructive sleep apnea include smoking, alcohol use, sedatives, and certain medical conditions such as diabetes or high blood pressure.
Central sleep apnea can be caused by a variety of things including stroke, heart failure, kidney failure, and certain neurological disorders. People who have had surgery on their upper airway are also at risk for central sleep apnea.
Mixed sleep apnea is usually caused by a combination of obesity and one of the other risk factors for either obstructive or central sleep apnea.
Symptoms of sleep apnea
The most common symptom of sleep apnea is loud snoring. However, not everyone who snores has sleep apnea. Other symptoms of sleep apnea include:
-Gasping or choking during sleep
-Waking up frequently during the night
-Morning headaches
-Feeling tired during the day
-Difficulty concentrating
-Irritability
Tests and Treatments for sleep apnea
There are a number of tests and treatments available for sleep apnea. The most common test used to diagnose sleep apnea is the polysomnogram, which is a overnight sleep study. This test measures things like brain waves, heart rate, breathing, and blood oxygen levels during sleep. Other tests that may be used to diagnose sleep apnea include the multiple sleep latency test (MSLT) and the epworth sleepiness scale (ESS).
Treatments for sleep apnea can vary depending on the severity of the condition. mild cases of sleep apnea may be treated with lifestyle changes such as losing weight, avoiding alcohol, and quitting smoking. more severe cases may require use of a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine or other forms of mechanical ventilation. Surgery is also an option for treating sleep apnea, but it is generally only recommended for people with very severe cases who do not respond to other forms of treatment.