Obstructive Sleep Apnea
Obstructive Sleep Apnea is a severe sleep disorder involving frequent breathing interruptions during sleep.
These pauses, known as apneas, can last from a few seconds to minutes and often occur multiple times per hour throughout the night. It leads to fragmented sleep and poor sleep quality, impacting overall health.
Three primary types of sleep apnea are:
Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) - the most common form, involves the relaxation of throat muscles, which then block the airway during sleep due to the collapse of soft tissues at the back of the throat.
Central Sleep Apnea (CSA) - occurs when the brain fails to signal correctly to breathing muscles
Complex Sleep Apnea - is a combination of both central and obstructive types.
Obstructive sleep apnea can affect anyone but is more prevalent in individuals who are overweight, male, older, or have a family history of the condition.
Other risk factors include large neck size, smoking, alcohol use, nasal congestion, and the use of sedatives.
Common symptoms of OSA include excessive daytime sleepiness, loud snoring, observed episodes of breathing cessation during sleep, frequent nocturnal awakenings with gasping or choking, morning headaches, dry mouth or sore throat upon waking, and difficulty concentrating during the day. If left untreated, sleep apnea can lead to severe health issues such as hypertension, heart disease, stroke, diabetes, depression, and even early mortality. Therefore, it is crucial to seek professional medical advice if sleep apnea is suspected.