Of all the forms of sleep apnea, the most widespread is known as Obstructive Sleep Apnea, or OSA. It is a condition that is characterized by periods of stopped breathing during sleep. This condition is also known as obstructive sleep apnea syndrome or just sleep apnea syndrome.
Normally a healthy individual’s upper throat muscles ensure that the airflow in and out of the throat is steady and uninterrupted. While asleep, these muscles relax slightly but normally still continue to do their job properly.
People who suffer from sleep apnea have narrower airways and when the muscles relax, it causes their throat to partially or completely close up. This leads to snoring and/or labored breathing and blocks the airflow to the lungs.
It isn’t completely clear why some people’s breathing stops entirely during deep (REM) sleep. These sleep apnea episodes often last for 10 seconds, or more in severe cases.
The stoppage of breath is followed by a struggle to regain it, which usually takes the form of gasping or choking. This disturbs the person’s sleeping pattern and they fall into a lighter sleep.
This pattern can repeat itself a number of times throughout the night, leading to a lack of quality sleep. This in turn can lead to other problems such as excessive drowsiness during the day.
Most people who suffer from sleep apnea don’t realize it. It usually has to be brought to their attention by someone else. They know they’re over-tired during the day but they don’t always realize why.
Common symptoms of sleep apnea include loud snoring, not feeling rested when waking up in the morning, memory and attention span problems, morning headaches, high blood pressure, and in severe cases swelling of the legs.
The first step in treating sleep apnea is getting a proper diagnosis. A doctor will check the person’s throat, neck and mouth for any abnormalities. When sleep apnea is suspected, a sleep study called a polysomnogram (or PSG) will be undertaken.
This study records various things such as eye movement, brain waves, muscle activity, rate of breathing, heart rate, blood oxygen levels and the amount of air being inhaled and exhaled while the patient sleeps.