Introduction To Obstructive Sleep Apnea

Sleep apnea is a serious sleep disorder wherein breathing starts and stops multiple times while the individual is sleeping. The most common sign of sleep apnea is tiredness after a full night’s sleep and snoring. Further sleep apnea has three main types these are as follows-:

1. Obstructive sleep apnea- is the most prevalent type it occurs when the throat muscles relax obstructing the flow of air.
2. Central sleep apnea – is a case wherein the brain does not send signals to the muscles that control the breathing in the human body.
3. Complex sleep apnea syndrome – is when an individual has both the above-mentioned types which are obstructive sleep apnea and central sleep apnea. It is also known as treatment-emergent central sleep apnea. 

Obstructive Sleep Apnea

It is the most common type of sleep apnea that causes the affected individual to repeatedly start and stop breathing while the person is asleep. The main reason for sleep apnea is the intermittent stop to the passage of air due to the throat muscles’ relaxation.

Obstructive sleep apnea symptoms

• Loud snoring
• Headache in the morning
• Sleepiness during daytime 
• Obstruction to breathing while asleep
• Mood changes like depression
• Sore throat and dry mouth in the mourning
• High blood pressure 
• Decreased concentration during daytime due to sleepiness
• Decreased libido
• Episode Of abrupt  awakening characterised by choking and gasping
• Irritability
• Insomnia – difficulty in sleeping
• Hypersomnia- sleepiness in the daytime

Causes 

The main reason for obstructive sleep apnea is the throat muscles at the back of the throat that relaxes too much that hindering normal breathing. When these muscles relax they cause narrowing of the breathing passage and block the air leading to hampering of breathing for 10 seconds. This further leads decrease in the concentration of the oxygen and results in a build-up of the carbon dioxide gas, the brain senses this change and wakes the individual so that the breathing is normalised. This opens your airway and this pattern is observed five to 30 times each hour you are asleep. 

Risk factors 

Some of the risk factors associated with sleep apnea are as follows-:

1. Overweight – not everyone who is overweight develops sleep apnea but they are at risk of developing and are vulnerable as the excess fat deposits at the upper pay and obstructs the breathing. People with hypothyroidism and polycystic ovarian syndrome are also at risk
2. Old age -the risk increases as one age and mostly after the ’60s
3. Narrowed airway – one might have inherited a narrow airway which can be a factor 
4. High blood pressure 
5. Asthma 
6. Diabetes
7. Chronic nasal congestion 

Treatment 

Obstructive sleep apnea has treatment. some of the measures are listed below -:

• Using an instrument or device that creates positive pressure while asleep that pressure helps in keeping the air passage open
• Use of mouthpiece that will push the lower jaw forward while you’re asleep
• Surgery is also one of the options 

Doctor consultation

When you observe the following signs and symptoms one must consult the doctor-:

• Loud snoring that disrupts your sleep as well as of others – not everyone who snores has sleep apnea but when the snoring is loud and is accompanied by pauses in breathing one must consult a doctor 
• Obstruction and pauses observed in breathing while asleep
• Episodes of abrupt awakening with choking and gasping
• Daytime drowsiness that makes you sleep while at work- hypersomnia

Conclusion

Obstructive Sleep apnea is a serious sleep disorder wherein the breathing starts and stops multiple times while the individual is sleeping. The main reason for obstructive sleep apnea is the throat muscles at the back of the throat that relaxes too much that hindering normal breathing. Some of the symptoms include – loud snoring, headache in the morning, sleepiness during daytime, obstruction to breathing while asleep, mood changes like depression, sore throat and dry mouth in the mourning, and high blood pressure. Loud snoring that disrupts your sleep accompanied by episodes of abrupt awakening with choking and gasping are the signs that the individual must consult a doctor.