What is Obstructive Sleep Apnea?
Snoring is Just One Symptom of OSA - A Serious Sleep Disorder
Oct 2, 2009
Obstructive sleep apnea, known as OSA or just "sleep apnea," is a common respiratory condition which can affect men, women or children. Sleep apnea is a condition in which breathing is interrupted during sleep because of a blockage in the airway. A person with sleep apnea actually stops breathing periodically during sleep. Usually (but not always), sleep apnea is accompanied by snoring.
What is Sleep Apnea?
It is normal for the muscles that hold the upper airway open to relax somewhat during sleep. However, usually this relaxation does not result in a constricted or blocked airway. In patients with sleep apnea, the muscles that hold the airway open relax so much that it is narrowed and even blocked completely. When this happens, air cannot get through and the brain alerts the body to wake up. Sleep apnea patients often wake up gasping and choking for air.
These interruptions in breathing (called apneas) can happen several times every hour during the night, putting stress on the entire body, including the heart. Patients with chronic sleep apnea experience deprivations of vital oxygen as well as sleep, which significantly affects their overall health and well-being.
Why is Sleep Apnea Dangerous?
When you stop breathing during sleep due to sleep apnea, the balance of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the blood is upset. This imbalance stimulates the brain to restart the breathing process. Your brain signals you to wake up so that the muscles of the tongue and throat can increase the size of the airway. Carbon dioxide can then escape and oxygen can enter the airway. These waking episodes are necessary to restart breathing (and to save your life), and you may not remember them, but they do disrupt your sleep and cause daytime exhaustion.
Obstructive sleep apnea is caused by a restriction in the size of the upper airway and changes in the function of its muscles. The restricted airway can lead to a complete obstruction and complete cessation of breathing for more than ten seconds.
What are the Symptoms of Sleep Apnea?
The most common symptoms of OSA are snoring, one or more awakenings during the night, daytime sleepiness, and lack of refreshed sleep. In most cases, the sleep apnea patient’s spouse or partner reports that the patient is waking up, choking, and gasping for breath. Usually, the patient is unaware of these events, but may complain of dry mouth on awakening, which can be an indication of repeated episodes of gasping and mouth breathing.
Obstructive sleep apnea impacts daytime function in a variety of ways. The patient usually reports excessive daytime sleepiness. Sleep apnea patients are at increased risk of motor vehicle accidents and cardiovascular disease. Studies have shown that people with sleep apnea have an increased risk of death over those without the disorder, but other factors, such as obesity, may explain this fact.
If you feel that you may have OSA, consult your doctor right away. It's important that you get the appropriate treatment before the condition becomes serious.
References
Sleep Disorders and Sleep Deprivation: An Unmet Public Health Problem (2006) Institute of Medicine of the National Academies -Committee on Sleep Medicine and Research Board on Health Sciences Policy - Dr. Harvey R. Colten and Dr. Bruce M. Altevogt, editors.
“The Danger of Untreated Sleep Apnea” - The Harvard Medical School Family Health Guide - Simon and Schuster, 1999.
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