Obstructive sleep apnea is the most common type of sleep apnea. Sufferers of obstructive sleep apnea stop breathing during their sleep because of a complete or partial obstruction of the airway. Many people with obstructive sleep apnea stop breathing many times during their sleep, often for longer than a minute at a time.
The obstruction in most sufferers is the passage in their own mouths from the soft palate to the base of the tongue. Muscles keep this region open when a person with obstructive sleep apnea is alert. When sleeping, these muscles relax causing the soft palate and tongue to block 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 long enough to keep the sufferer from achieving deep sleep and REM (rapid eye movement) sleep. Everyone needs deep and REM sleep to wake up refreshed and revitalized each morning.
The three main risk factors for developing obstructive sleep apnea are:
1. Age - As people grow older, their muscle mass is reduced, which makes the airway soft and slender. When sleeping these already weak muscles relax, forming the obstruction.
2. Being Male - Men are at greater risk of developing 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 developing 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
Some of the symptoms of obstructive sleep apnea include:
Personality changes
Daytime sleepiness
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:
