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Understanding
Sleep Apnea
Sleep Apnea is a common but serious sleep disorder. Estimated 54 million Americans suffer from obstructive sleep apnea alone but many remain undiagnosed or untreated. Read more below to understand this common sleep disorder.
What is Sleep Apnea?
Sleep Apnea is a common but serious sleep disorder. The disorder is caused by repetitive periods when airflow is interrupted during sleep due to a narrowing or closure to the throat. A complete blockage of airflow is an apnea, and a partial interruption is a hypopnea. Each apnea or hypopnea can result in drops in oxygen levels and brief awakenings or sleep disturbances.
Typical symptoms of Sleep Apnea are snoring, snorting or gasping during sleep, unrefreshed sleep, and daytime sleepiness. These multiple breathing interruptions may prevent you from sleeping well, leaving you feeling extra tired during the day.
The disorder can also stress your heart and other organs due to the recurrent drops in oxygen levels, which can cause abnormalities in blood pressure, levels of hormones, inflammation, and other changes.
There are many possible consequences of sleep apnea, and different people can experience different problems. Some people may experience daytime fatigue or sleepiness, problems thinking and concentrating, and mood problems. Untreated sleep apnea may increase the risk of motor vehicle crashes or work-related accidents, poor control of blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and liver problems.
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Types of Sleep Apnea
Obstructive Sleep Apnea: The most common type of sleep apnea. It occurs when the soft tissues in the back of the throat relaxes during sleep and blocks the airway, often causing you to snore loudly. Since sleep apnea only occurs while you are asleep, you may not know you have a problem until a bed partner or roommate complains about your snoring.
Central Sleep Apnea: A much less common type of sleep apnea but is more common in people with heart failure or who have had a stroke. There are also rare genetic disorders and diseases of the brain and muscles that cause central sleep apnea. In central sleep apnea, breathing can be interrupted when the brain fails to signal the muscles that control breathing.
Complex Sleep Apnea: Is characterized by the existence of both “Central” Apneas and “Obstructive” Apneas. This can have multiple causes. More information on this disorder can be found here.
Related Health Issues
Obesity or Increasing Weight Gain: Increasing weight, particularly around the waist and neck, is the single biggest contributor to the development of sleep apnea for both males and females. A 10% increase in weight is associated with a six-fold increased risk of developing moderate OSA. Weight loss can substantially improve sleep apnea.
Hypertension or High Blood Pressure: A drop in oxygen during sleep can raise blood pressure, and this increase in blood pressure can be sustained during the awake hours that follow. People who get help for sleep apnea can often see their blood pressure improve. Some people may be able to cut back on their blood pressure medications, but you should never stop or change your dose without talking to your doctor first.
Type 2 Diabetes: 80% of people with Type 2 diabetes also have obstructive sleep apnea.
Being overweight raises the risk for both sleep apnea and Type 2 diabetes. Lack of sleep can keep your body from using insulin properly, which leads to diabetes.
Heart Disease: Sleep apnea can increase your risk of heart disease by 30% and your risk of stroke by 60%. Atrial fibrillation is also common in people with sleep apnea.
Untreated sleep apnea can reduce the effectiveness of treatments for atrial fibrillation. In fact, many cardiologist$ test their patients who have atrial fibrillation for sleep apnea and make sure sleep apnea is treated as part of the plan for their treatment.
Stroke: Severity of untreated sleep apnea can determine the development of stroke in people. OSA is widespread in stroke patients who are not receiving adequate CPAP therapy. Having an AHI≥30 plays an important role in the development of ischemic stroke, especially in older patients.
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD): COPD is a term that describes chronic lung diseases such as emphysema and chronic bronchitis. These conditions make it difficult to breathe during sleep and when awake. An estimated 10% to 15% of people living with COPD may also have sleep apnea.
Cognitive Problems: Sleep apnea can cause both disturbed sleep and low oxygen levels during sleep—both of which may lead to problems with brain health and may increase risk for developing dementia.
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