Obstructive sleep apnea is the most common type of sleep apnea. People who have obstructive sleep apnea stop breathing during their sleep because of a complete or partial blockage of the airway. A number of people with obstructive sleep apnea stop breathing many times during their sleep, sometimes for longer than a minute at a time.
The blockage in most sufferers is the passage in their own mouths from the soft palate to the base of the tongue. Muscles keep this area open when a person with obstructive sleep apnea is alert. When sleeping, these muscles relax causing the soft palate and tongue to obstruct breathing. The airway shuts; the sleeper stops breathing and then wakes up trying to breathe again. The sleeper goes back to sleep only to wake up repeatedly, from five to one-hundred times per night.
The brief waking up and going back to sleep only lasts a few seconds. It is long enough to keep the person 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 get older, their muscle mass is reduced, which makes the airway soft and slender. When sleeping these already weak muscles relax, resulting in the obstruction.
2. Being Male - Men are at greater risk of getting obstructive sleep apnea.
3. Weight Gain - Weight gain is a contributing factor in obstructive sleep apnea. Extra fat causes the airway to close in when the muscles around it relax.
Other factors that place a person at risk of getting 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
The symptoms of obstructive sleep apnea include:
Personality changes
Daytime sleepiness
Depression
Falling asleep while driving
Constantly waking up during sleep
Inability to achieve deep sleep
Headaches
High blood pressure
Impotence
Memory loss
Obesity
Snoring
Tiredness
Complications stemming from obstructive sleep apnea include:
