Sleep Apnea
Sleep apnea is a common disorder in which you have one or more pauses in breathing or shallow breaths while you sleep. Breathing pauses can last from a few seconds to minutes. They often occur 5 to 30 times or more an hour. Typically, normal breathing then starts again, sometimes with a loud snort or choking sound.
What Causes Sleep Apnea?
When you're awake, throat muscles help keep your airway stiff and open so air can flow into your lungs. When you sleep, these muscles are more relaxed. Normally, the relaxed throat muscles don't stop your airway from staying open to allow air into your lungs. But if you have obstructive sleep apnea, your airways can be blocked or narrowed during sleep because:
- Throat muscles and tongue relax more than normal
- Tongue and tonsils are large compared to the opening into your windpipe
- Being overweight. The extra soft fat tissue can thicken the wall of the windpipe
- Shape of head and neck may cause a smaller airway size in the mouth and throat area
- The aging process limits the ability of brain signals to keep your throat muscles stiff during sleep
When the oxygen drops to dangerous levels, it triggers your brain to disturb your sleep. This helps tighten the upper airway muscles and open your windpipe. Normal breaths then start again, often with a loud snort or choking sound.
The frequent drops in oxygen levels and reduced sleep quality trigger the release of stress hormones. These compounds raise your heart rate and increase your risk for high blood pressure, heart attack, stroke, and irregular heartbeats. The hormones also raise the risk for or worsen heart failure.
Signs & Symptoms
Should you be worried? Well, to answer that, first analyze some signs and symptoms of Sleep Apnea sufferers. Common side effects of Sleep Apnea patients may include:
- Loud and chronic (ongoing) snoring
- Fighting sleepiness during the day, at work, or while driving
- Rapidly falling asleep during the quiet moments of the day when you're not active
- High Blood Pressure
- Stroke
- Heartburn
- Impotence
- Morning headache
- Memory or learning problems and not being able to concentrate
- Feeling irritable, depressed, or having mood swings or personality changes
- Urination at nigh
- A dry throat when you wake up
How can we help?
Dr. Kazerooni will start with a consultation to review your medical history and various sleep studies. Then she will explain what your diagnosis is and what it means to you and your particular sleep disorder. The most common treatment for severe Sleep Apnea is the use of a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) device. Individuals with mild to moderate Sleep Apnea/Snoring, whom cannot tolerate CAPA can use custom-fitted Oral appliance instead.
Request Appointment
