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What causes obstructive sleep apnea?

Obstructive sleep apnea happens when your throat muscles relax during sleep. These are the muscles that support your soft palate and the uvula. These muscles also support your tonsils, tongue and throat walls. As the throat muscles relax, your airway can become narrow and even close, causing you to breathe less. When you are not breathing properly, not as much oxygen is carried around your body. Your brain senses this and wakes you briefly to allow you to reopen your airway. Some risk factors for obstructive sleep apnea can include obesity, a narrow throat, enlarged tonsils and smoking or alcohol intake.

FAQ Frequently asked questions

What is obstructive sleep apnea?

Obstructive sleep apnea occurs when, during sleeping, your throat walls relax and/or your tongue flops back to block the upper section of the airway. This can lead to a temporary stopping of breathing, known as apnea. This can cause an interruption in …

What are the symptoms of obstructive sleep apnea?

Obstructive sleep apnea occurs while you are sleeping, so you may not realize you have the condition. Some associated signs that you may notice can include: sleepiness during the day, fatigue or tiredness; reduced sex drive or impotence; …

Who gets obstructive sleep apnea?

Anyone can develop obstructive sleep apnea. Some risk factors can include: obesity, which can lead to obstructive fat forming around the upper airway; genetics, which determine the size of your throat and tonsils; some illnesses, such as nasal congestion; …

How is obstructive sleep apnea diagnosed?

A diagnosis of obstructive sleep apnea requires the identification of repetitive apneas (stopping of breathing) and the presence of symptoms indicating broken sleep; this commonly includes excessive daytime sleepiness. To help reach this diagnosis, …

How is obstructive sleep apnea treated?

In milder cases of obstructive sleep apnea, lifestyles changes including losing weight, cutting down on alcohol or quitting smoking may help. In more severe cases, there are other treatment options such as continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP), …

Can obstructive sleep apnea be prevented?

In some cases, obstructive sleep apnea can be prevented by making lifestyle changes. These may include maintaining a healthy body weight, quitting smoking and reducing your intake of alcohol and sedatives before you sleep.

Can obstructive sleep apnea run in the family?

If any of your family members have obstructive sleep apnea or you are born with a narrow throat or large tonsils, you have an increased risk of apnea. Other risk factors include the shape of your facial bone (having a small chin), large throat …

Are there different types of obstructive sleep apnea?

The different types of sleep apnea are categorized by how frequently your breathing is interrupted while you sleep: normal - fewer than five interruptions per hour; mild sleep apnea - anywhere between five and 15 interruptions per …

Is obstructive sleep apnea serious?

Sleep apnea can be considered a serious medical condition that can lead to further complications, such as high blood pressure (hypertension). Low oxygen levels in the blood caused by obstructive sleep apnea can also damage the heart tissue and may cause …

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About this article

Author: Lauren Donley BSc (Hons)
First answered: 10 Jul 2015
Last reviewed: 19 May 2018
Rating: 4.7 out of 5
Votes: 987 (Click smiley face below to rate)
Category: Teeth grinding

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