Obstructive sleep apnea is the most common type of sleep apnea. Sufferers of obstructive sleep apnea stop breathing while they are asleep because of a complete or partial obstruction of the airway. A number of people with obstructive sleep apnea stop breathing many times during their sleep, sometimes for longer than a minute at a time.
The obstruction most people have is the passage in their own mouths from the soft palate to the base of the tongue. Muscles keep this area open when a person with obstructive sleep apnea is awake. Whilst the sufferer is asleep, these muscles relax causing the soft palate and tongue to obstruct breathing. The airway shuts; the person stops breathing and then wakes up in an attempt to breathe again. The person goes back to sleep only to wake up repeatedly, from five to one-hundred times per night.
The brief waking and returning to sleep only lasts a few seconds. It is enough time to keep the sleeper from achieving deep sleep and REM (rapid eye movement) sleep. All people need deep and REM sleep to awake refreshed and revitalized every day.
The three main risk factors for developing obstructive sleep apnea are:
1. Age - As people grow older, they lose muscle mass, which makes the airway soft and thin. When sleeping these already weak muscles relax, resulting in the obstruction.
2. Being Male - Men are at greater risk of getting obstructive sleep apnea.
3. Weight Gain - Weight gain contributes to obstructive sleep apnea. Excess fat makes the airway close when the muscles around it relax.
Other factors that place a person at risk of getting obstructive sleep apnea include:
Drug and alcohol abuse
Down Syndrome
Family history
Large adenoids and/or tonsils
Muscle disorders
Nasal congestion
Receding chin
Smoking
Thyroid disease
The symptoms of obstructive sleep apnea include:
Personality changes
Desire to sleep during the day
Depression
Falling asleep while driving
Constantly waking up during sleep
Failure to achieve deep sleep
Headaches
High blood pressure
Impotence
Memory loss
Obesity
Snoring
Tiredness
Complications resulting from obstructive sleep apnea include:
