What is Sleep Apnea?

Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) is a common breathing problem that can have effects on your sleep, health, and overall quality of life. Left untreated, it can not only cause you to be excessively tired, but it can also pose serious risks to your health and well-being.

What causes Obstructive Sleep Apnea?

Sleep apnea is a condition caused by relaxation of muscles in the upper airway. Normally, when you sleep the muscles in your upper airway are supposed to relax. But if they become too relaxed, your airway may narrow, which limits the amount of air that can get to your lungs. As narrowing occurs, some people begin to snore, or have difficulty breathing properly. Because of this, snoring and sleep apnea often go together. In some cases, the muscles relax so much that the airway collapses and completely obstructs your airway. Obstructive sleep apnea can last for as long as ten seconds and may occur hundreds of times during one night.

Collapse of the Airway During Sleep

There are several factors that contribute to the collapse of the airway. These factors include:

• Excess tissue (i.e tonsils of uvula) in the back of the throat
• Muscles which hold the airway open lose tone
• Nasal obstruction
• Some jaw or facial attributes, such as a recessed chin, may contribute to airway collapse

Snoring and Constant Fatigue are Symptoms of OSA

In each instance of a sleep apnea's occurrence, you struggle to breath. Because your brain has to wake up and make you breath again, sleep apnea can place stress on your brain and your heart. When this occurs night after night, the disruption of your sleep causes you to be tired throughout the day, and since snoring is a commonly associated symptoms, your partner may also be more tired. Other symptoms of OSA may include morning headaches, memory loss, sexual dysfunction, depression, irritability, and difficulty concentrating.

OSA can have Adverse Effects on Your Health

Research has shown the following correlations with serious health conditions:

• More than 35% of people with sleep apnea suffer from high blood pressure, increasing their risk of heart disease.¹
• 83% of people who continue to suffer from high blood pressure despite taking three or more drugs, also have sleep apnea.²
• Almost 70% of people who have had a stroke have sleep apnea.³
• A person with sleep apnea is seven times more likely to have a car accident.⁴

Treatment of Sleep Apnea

The most widely accepted and implemented treatment of sleep apnea is called Positive Airway Pressure Therapy. One of the benefits of using this kind of treatment is that you will not have to have surgery, nor will it be necessary to use prescription drugs or hormonal treatments. Simply stated, positive airway pressure therapy utilizes a small bedside device which delivers pressurized air through a small mask or nasal pillows system. The air that flows through the mask helps to counteract the effect of relaxed airway muscles by keeping your airway open during the night.

Sources:
1. Worsnop et al. American Journal of Respiratory Crit Care Med. 1998
2. Logan et al. Journal of Hypertension. 2001
3. Bassetti et al. Sleep. 1999
4. Young T, Blustein J, et al. Sleep. 1997