Sleep Apnea
From Capsil Wiki
Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is caused by a blockage of the airway, usually when the soft tissue in the rear of the throat collapses and closes during sleep. In Central sleep apnea, the airway is not blocked but the brain fails to signal the muscles to breathe. Mixed apnea as the name implies, is a combination of the two. With each apnea event, the brain briefly arouses people with sleep apnea in order for them to resume breathing, but consequently sleep is extremely fragmented and of poor quality.
Sleep apnea is very common, as common as adult diabetes, and affects more than twelve million Americans, according to the National Institutes of Health. 90% of people who have sleep apnea don't know that they have it! Because of the lack of awareness by the public and healthcare professionals, the vast majority remain undiagnosed and therefore untreated, despite the fact that this serious disorder can have significant consequences.
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Causes and risk factors of obstructive sleep apnea
When you have obstructive sleep apnea, your throat collapses during sleep, blocking the airway and preventing air from getting to the lungs. Generally, your throat muscles keep the throat and airway open.
Primary causes and risk factors of obstructive sleep apnea
- Being overweight or obese (although 50% of people with sleep apnea are not obese)
- Large tonsils or adenoids
- Other distinctive physical attributes (deviated septum, shape of head and neck, receding chin, enlarged tongue)
- Nasal congestion or blockage (from cold, sinusitis, allergies, smoking, etc.)
- Throat muscles and tongue relax more than normal during sleep (possibly due to alchohol or sedatives or age)
Effects of sleep apnea on health
Sleep apnea has serious health consequences and can even be life-threatening. The main effects of sleep apnea are sleep deprivation and oxygen deprivation.
Sleep deprivation
Sleep deprivation hurts the person with sleep apnea and the bed partner. Frequent waking, whether remembered or not, causes fitful sleep and prohibits therapeutic rest. A bed partner may lose an hour or more of sleep each night from sleeping next to a person with sleep apnea. Along with the apnea episodes, side effects like excessive sweating and a frequent need to urinate disrupt sleep. Often, a person with sleep apnea will wake up feeling like they have not slept or have difficulty staying awake during the day. Some trickle-down effects of sleep deprivation include a compromised immune system, poor mental and emotional health, and irritability.
Oxygen deprivation
When you stop breathing, your brain does not get enough oxygen. Serious problems can result from the oxygen deprivation of sleep apnea, including heart disease, high blood pressure, sexual dysfunction, and learning/memory problems.
Depression and sleep apnea
Approximately one in five people who suffer from depression also suffer from sleep apnea, and people with sleep apnea are five times more likely to become depressed. Existing depression may also be worsened by sleep apnea. While it is not clear whether the apnea causes the depression or vice-versa, studies show that by treating sleep apnea symptoms, depression may be alleviated in some people.
Treatment for sleep apnea
CPAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure) - CPAP is the most widely recommended treatment for moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea. CPAP entails wearing a mask-like device while you sleep, which provides pressurized air to prevent the airway from collapsing. Most CPAP units are the size of a tissue box and many now come with a built in humidifier for comfort.
References
1. http://www.medicinenet.com/sleep_apnea/article.htm 2. www.sleepapnea.org
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