Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA)

What Is Obstructive Sleep Apnea?

Obstructive sleep apnea is when something blocks part or all of your upper airway while you sleep. This means your diaphragm, a muscle that helps you breathe in and out, and chest muscles have to work harder to open your airway and pull air into your lungs. Your breath can become very shallow, or you may even stop breathing briefly. You usually start to breathe again with a loud gasp, snort, or body jerk. You may not sleep well, but you probably won't be aware of it.

But just because different breathing patterns at night may not be obvious doesn't mean they're not important. Sleep apnea can also reduce oxygen flow to your organs and cause uneven heart rhythms.

Obstructive Sleep Apnea Symptoms

Common obstructive sleep apnea warning signs include:

• Daytime sleepiness or fatigue
• Dry mouth or sore throat when you wake up
• Headaches in the morning
• Trouble concentrating, forgetfulness, depression, or crankiness
• Night sweats
• Restlessness during sleep
• Problems with sex, such as a low sex drive
• Snoring
• Waking up suddenly and feeling like you're gasping or choking
• Trouble getting up in the mornings
• Waking up often in the middle of the night to pee
• High blood pressure
• Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)

If you share a bed with someone, they'll probably notice your sleep apnea before you do.

Sleep apnea symptoms in children

Symptoms in children may not be as clear. They may include:

• Bed-wetting
• Choking or drooling
• Sweating a lot at night
• Rib cage moves inward when they breathe out
• Learning and behavior problems
• Problems at school
• Sluggishness or sleepiness (often seen as laziness)
• Snoring
• Teeth grinding
• Restlessness in bed
• Breathing that pauses or stops
• Unusual sleeping positions, such as sleeping on their hands and knees, or with their neck bent far back

Many other medical conditions can also cause these symptoms. Talk to your doctor to rule them out.

Obstructive Sleep Apnea Causes

Obstructive sleep apnea usually happens when the muscles that control your airway relax too much, narrowing your throat. This reduces your oxygen levels, so your brain wakes you up to reopen your airway. You’ll probably wake up for such a short time that you won’t even remember it, although some people will have shortness of breath, snorting, or gasping. This usually goes away in one or two breaths. These breathing problems, or apnea events, might happen dozens of times each hour, preventing you from getting a good night’s sleep, even if you don’t notice it.

Causes of obstructive sleep apnea include:

• Obesity. The extra weight in your neck can press down on your airway, causing breathing problems.
• Age. As you get older, fat can build around your airway and cause apnea.
• Jaw issues. An underbite or very small lower jaw can affect your airway, increasing your risk for apnea.
• Large or swollen tonsils, tongue, or adenoids. These structural issues can block your airway, making it hard to breathe. The risk for apnea also increases if your neck circumference is greater than 16 inches.
• Genetics. Your genes affect many things, including the size and shape of your head. Because of this, sleep apnea can run in families. In addition, genetic conditions such as Down syndrome and Prader-Willi syndrome can affect the way your head and neck are shaped.
• Endocrine problems. Hormones influence the shape of your face, airway, and skull. For example, low thyroid hormones, high insulin, or high growth factor levels can contribute to sleep apnea.
• Heart or kidney failure. These problems can lead to fluid settling in your neck, disrupting your airway.
• Drinking or smoking. Alcohol causes the muscles in your upper airway to relax, causing it to narrow. Meanwhile, smoking can lead to redness and swelling (inflammation) in your airway.