Sleep apnea is a condition in which your breathing repeatedly stops and starts while you sleep. It can cause you to snore loudly, and you may feel tired during the day.
While there is no cure for sleep apnea, there are treatments that can help. One treatment is called continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP). CPAP uses a mask that is worn over your nose and mouth. The mask is connected to a machine that provides a gentle flow of air into your nose and mouth.
CPAP can be very effective in treating sleep apnea. It can help you to sleep better and reduce your snoring. It can also help you to feel more alert during the day.
If CPAP is not effective, or if you cannot tolerate the mask, there are other treatments that can help. These include mouthpieces that you wear at night. These mouthpieces keep your airway open while you sleep. Surgery is another option, but it is usually only considered if other treatments have not worked.
No matter what treatment you choose, it is important to stick with it. Treatments for sleep apnea can be effective, but only if you use them as prescribed. If you stop using your treatment, your sleep apnea will likely come back.
What are the consequences of sleep apnea?
Sleep apnea is a chronic sleep disorder that is characterized by pauses in breathing or periods of shallow breathing during sleep. Each pause in breathing, called an apnea, can last for several seconds to minutes, and may occur 5 to 30 times or more an hour. Typically, normal breathing then starts again, sometimes with a loud snort or choking sound.
Sleep apnea usually is a problem with your sleep patterns. It can cause you to snore loudly, and you may feel tired even after a full night's sleep. Sleep apnea can have serious consequences. It may increase your risk of high blood pressure, heart attack, stroke, and other health problems.
If you have sleep apnea, you're more likely to have:
High blood pressure
Heart disease
Stroke
Diabetes
Obesity
Depression
Memory problems
Worsening symptoms of ADHD
An increased risk for accidents, if you drive or operate machinery
Treatment for sleep apnea can improve your quality of life and may reduce your risk of developing these serious health problems.
How is sleep apnea diagnosed?
Sleep apnea is a potentially serious sleep disorder in which breathing repeatedly stops and starts. If you snore loudly and feel tired even after a full night's sleep, you might have sleep apnea. Treatments can keep you from losing sleep and reduce your risk of heart problems.
Sleep apnea usually is diagnosed based on your medical and sleep history, a physical exam, and results from sleep studies.
Medical and sleep history. Your doctor will ask about your sleep habits and any problems you've been having. Be prepared to answer questions about your snoring, choking or gasping during sleep, how you feel during the day, and any other symptoms you have.
Your doctor will also ask about your family's medical history and whether anyone in your family has sleep apnea or suddenly died during sleep.
Physical exam. Your doctor will examine your neck to see if you have physical features that are associated with sleep apnea, such as a large tongue, small jaw or large tonsils.
Your doctor also will check to see if you have any signs of other medical conditions that can contribute to sleep apnea, such as narrow nasal passages or an overgrown uvula (the fleshy tissue hanging down from the middle of the back of the roof of your mouth).
Sleep studies. A sleep study is the best way to find out if you have sleep apnea. During a sleep study, you stay overnight in a sleep laboratory or sleep center.
You'll be closely monitored while you sleep to assess your sleep patterns, breathing, brain waves, heart rate, oxygen levels and muscle activity. The recordings will be reviewed by a sleep specialist to determine if you have sleep apnea and how severe it is.
Although sleep studies used to require an overnight stay in a sleep lab, some sleep centers now offer home sleep testing. This option might be recommended if your doctor suspects you have mild sleep apnea.
Follow-up appointments. Once sleep apnea is diagnosed, you'll need regular follow-up appointments with your doctor to see how well you're doing with treatment and to check for any other problems.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is sleep apnea (sleep apnoea)?
Sleep apnea is a sleep disorder in which pauses in breathing or periods of shallow breathing during sleep occur more often than normal. Each pause can last for a few seconds to a few minutes and they happen many times a night. In the most common form, this follows loud snoring. In people with sleep apnea, the soft tissues in their throat collapse repeatedly during sleep, preventing oxygen from reaching their lungs. As a result, they experience frequent episodes of shallow breathing (apnea), lasting up to a minute each time. This can lead to disturbed sleep and an increased risk of high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke and memory problems. What are the symptoms of sleep apnea? The most common symptom of sleep apnea is intermittent awakenings, or waking up frequently during the night due to no air flowing through your throat. Other signs and symptoms may include: – Difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep – A long period of time spent awake
What is sleep apnea and how is it treated?
Sleep apnea is a sleep disorder in which breathing repeatedly stops and starts. The most common cause of sleep apnea is excessive daytime sleepiness caused by the blockage of airflow at night. This can result in loud snoring or gasping for air during sleep, which interrupts sound sleep and often leads to tiredness the next day. Treatment for sleep apnea usually involves lifestyle changes, such as avoiding alcohol and Smoking, and using effective devices to correct air flow, such as CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) machines or mouthguards with mandibular filters. If these treatments fail, treatment may also involve surgery.
Why is sleep apnea so common?
There are several risk factors for sleep apnea, including obesity and elevated levels of airway resistance. In people with sleep apnea, gravity causes their airway to collapse repeatedly during sleep, leading to daytime fatigue, snoring, and even cardiovascular problems. What are the different types of sleep apnea? The two main types of sleep apnea are primary and secondarysleep apnea. Primary sleep apnea is caused by a blockage in one or both of your airways. Secondary sleep apnea is caused by another problem (such as a enlarged tonsil) that creates a significant obstruction to airflow during sleep. What are the symptoms of sleep apnea? Most people with sleep apnea experience nighttime difficulty breathing, most commonly due to noisy breathing during REM (rapid-eye-movement)sleep. Other common symptoms include: Rigorous exercise or alcohol consumption may cause sleeplessness or excessive daytime fatigue because of added oxygen deprivation from restless leg
What is sleep apnea and how serious is it?
Sleep apnea is a serious sleep disorder that occurs when a person's breathing is interrupted during sleep. The interrupted breathing causes the sufferer to experience episodes of oxygen deprivation, and can lead to fatigue,weight gain, headaches, and other problems. Sleep apnea is increasingly common, particularly in people over the age of 50. It can be treated with medication or surgery.
Is snoring a sign of sleep apnea?
There's no one answer to this question, as people often have different symptoms for different reasons. If you're concerned that you might have sleep apnea, it's best to speak with a doctor. They can take a polysomnography (PSG) test to determine if you have the condition.
