The Story Behind Sleep Apnea

Do you snore at night or feel tired during the day? If so, you could be suffering from obstructive sleep apnea, a disorder that affects millions of Americans. Most people with sleep apnea aren't aware they have it.

When you have obstructive sleep apnea, your breathing becomes shallow or stops because your throat briefly collapses while you're asleep, temporarily closing your airway. Pauses can last 20 seconds or more and can occur 30 times or more every hour, according to the American Sleep Apnea Association (ASAA).

When these pauses happen, the amount of oxygen in your blood may drop. Eventually, your brain tells your upper airway to reopen. Normal breathing starts again with a loud snort or choking sound. When you start breathing again, you may not wake up completely, but your sleep is disrupted.

Obstructive sleep apnea occurs in both adults and children.

Another form of sleep apnea, called central sleep apnea, happens when the area in your brain that controls breathing doesn't send the proper signals to the muscles that help you breathe, according to the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute. Central sleep apnea is rare.

Common symptoms

Snoring and daytime fatigue are two common signs of obstructive sleep apnea, but there are others, as well. And not everyone with obstructive sleep apnea snores. A headache or dry throat when you first wake up, trouble remembering or concentrating, and irritability or moodiness also may be symptoms.

Sleep apnea occurs twice as often in men as in women. But, after menopause, a woman's risk doubles or triples, the ASAA says. Most people who have sleep apnea are overweight, snore loudly and may make snorting sounds while they're asleep. That's why a spouse or other family member may notice the problem first.

If you have high blood pressure, a family history of sleep apnea or narrow air passages in your nose, throat or mouth, you may be more likely to develop the condition. A history of injury or nasal allergies also increases your risk.

Health effects

Sleep apnea increases your risk for high blood pressure, and it has been linked to other serious health problems, including stroke, congestive heart failure, obesity and diabetes. In one study, sleep apnea increased the risk for heart attack by 50 percent. Your fatigue may increase your risk of having an accident at work or while driving.

What to do

Changes in your daily activities or habits may help you breathe better at night:

• Avoid alcohol and medications that cause drowsiness. They make your throat muscles relax.

• Lose excess weight. Even a 10 percent drop in body weight may help. If less soft tissue is around your airway, it's less likely to close.

• Sleep on your side instead of your back so that your tongue can't relax into the back of your throat.

If symptoms persist, you may need treatment. The most common treatment for adults with obstructive sleep apnea is continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP). A mask that fits over your nose blows air into your airway to keep it open while you sleep. A custom-made mouthpiece is another alternative. If these approaches don't work, others, including surgery, may be recommended.