Sleep apnea is interrupted breathing during sleep.
The apneic episodes of OSA are specifically brought on by blockage of the upper airway during sleep.
This article describes the symptoms, diagnosis,treatments, and how to cope with OSA.
SolStock / Getty Images
What Causes Obstructive Sleep Apnea?
The main cause of OSA is obstruction, or blockage, of the upper airways during sleep.
The muscles throughout the body relax during sleep, including the throat muscles.
Certain risk factors can increase the likelihood of upper airway blockage during sleep when the muscles naturally relax.
If your upper airways become physically blocked during sleep, this leads to interrupted breathing and decreased oxygen.
Less often, some people may have OSA without these risk factors.
Males are more prone to OSA than females.
How Is Obstructive Sleep Apnea Diagnosed?
Obstructive sleep apnea is diagnosed using medical history, symptoms, risk factors, and diagnostic tests.
A combination of snoring, gasping for air during sleep, and daytime fatigue are highly suggestive of OSA.
Apolysomnogram(sleep study) can identify episodes of low oxygen, interrupted breathing, and wakefulness during sleep.
More frequent episodes indicate more severe OSA.
Obstructive Sleep Apnea Treatment
Several different medical treatments are available for OSA.
Some of them can be combined to achieve a better outcome.
Lifestyle modifications are an important part of managing OSA.
Some people benefit from treatment options that may not help other people.
Additionally, you may need to try one or more treatments to see which option is effective.
Obstructive Sleep Apnea Complications
Untreated OSA has been associated with a number of serious health complications.
For example, obesity can contribute to hypertension and heart disease, and OSA can amplify these health issues.
More severe OSA that is untreated for a long time increases the chance of developing serious complicationsor even death.
People do not often notice their own snoring or brief awakenings gasping for breath.
If you have sleep apnea, treatment can be life-changing and greatly improve your quality of life.
Most people living with OSA experience improvement in symptoms and substantial improvement in quality of life with treatment.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Key sleep disorders.
2017;40(3):zsx005.
doi:10.1093/sleep/zsx005
Bonsignore MR, Saaresranta T, Riha RL.Sex differences in obstructive sleep apnoea.Eur Respir Rev.
2021;143(21).
2021;8(1):e000656.
