Sleep Apnea Symptoms and Causes

Overview

Sleep apnea is a serious sleep disorder. It is characterized by repeated breathing interruptions during sleep. People with this condition often experience loud snoring and daytime fatigue despite sleeping through the night.

There are three main types of sleep apnea. The most common form is obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). OSA occurs when throat muscles relax and block airflow to the lungs.

Meanwhile, central sleep apnea (CSA) happens when the brain fails to send proper signals to the breathing muscles.

Treatment-emergent central sleep apnea, or complex sleep apnea, occurs when a person with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) begins treatment and their condition shifts to central sleep apnea (CSA).

The effects of sleep apnea can extend beyond poor sleep quality. Without proper treatment, this condition may lead to:

Heart problems
Daytime fatigue
Difficulty concentrating
Mood changes

If you suspect you have sleep apnea, it’s important to consult a healthcare provider. Effective treatments exist that can reduce symptoms and prevent potential complications.

Signs of Sleep Apnea

Sleep apnea presents with several noticeable signs. Many people experience loud snoring, though not everyone with this condition snores. Partners often report witnessing breathing stops during sleep.

People with sleep apnea may gasp for air while sleeping. Morning symptoms include waking with a dry mouth and headaches. Many struggle with staying asleep throughout the night.

Daytime effects include:

Excessive sleepiness
Difficulty concentrating
Irritability
Mental fog

Some people may not realize they have these symptoms until a sleep partner points them out. The symptoms can affect both physical health and daily functioning.

When to Visit a Healthcare Provider

If you snore loudly or experience daytime fatigue, consider speaking with your doctor. Even without snoring, symptoms like morning headaches, irritability, and concentration problems warrant medical attention.

Any sleep issues that leave you tired during the day deserve professional evaluation. Don’t wait until symptoms worsen – early diagnosis leads to better treatment outcomes.

What Causes Sleep Apnea

When Airways Get Blocked

Obstructive sleep apnea happens when throat muscles relax during sleep. These muscles normally hold open your airway by supporting several structures:

The soft palate at the roof of your mouth
The uvula (the small tissue that hangs down)
Your tonsils
The sides of your throat
Your tongue

When these muscles relax too much, your airway narrows or closes completely as you try to breathe in. This causes oxygen levels in your blood to drop.

Your brain notices this problem and briefly wakes you to reopen your airway. These awakenings are often so short that you won’t remember them.

People with this condition may snort, choke, or gasp for air. This cycle can repeat many times each hour throughout the night, preventing deep sleep.

When Brain Signals Fail

Central sleep apnea is less common, but works differently. This type happens when your brain doesn’t send proper signals to the muscles that control breathing. During these episodes, you make no effort to breathe for short periods.

People with central sleep apnea often wake up short of breath. They might also have trouble falling asleep or staying asleep throughout the night.

Risk Factors

Sleep Breathing Blockages

People of any age can develop sleep-breathing blockages, but certain things raise your chances. Being overweight is a major factor because extra fat around your upper airway can block breathing.

Having a thick neck often means narrower airways. Some people are born with narrow throats, while enlarged tonsils or adenoids can block airflow, especially in children.

Men face a 2–3 times higher risk than women, though women’s risk increases after menopause or with weight gain. The problem becomes more common as you age. If your family members have this condition, you might be more likely to develop it too.

Other factors that increase risk include:

Substance use: Alcohol, sedatives, and tranquilizers relax throat muscles.
Tobacco use: Smokers have three times higher risk due to airway inflammation.
Nasal problems: Trouble breathing through your nose from allergies or structural issues.
Health conditions: Heart failure, high blood pressure, diabetes, hormone disorders, and lung disease.

Sleep-Breathing Problems

This type of sleep-breathing problem has different risk factors:

Risk Factor	Description
Age	Middle-aged and older adults face a higher risk
Gender	Men develop this condition more often than women
Heart issues	Heart failure significantly increases risk
Pain medications	Opioid medicines, especially long-acting ones like methadone
Brain events	Previous strokes raise the chance of developing this condition

Complications

Sleep apnea can lead to several serious health issues if left untreated. These complications affect various body systems and overall quality of life.

Daytime Drowsiness and Mental Effects

Constant sleep interruptions prevent restful sleep. This leads to severe daytime fatigue and irritability.
People with sleep apnea also have difficulty concentrating. They also have a higher risk of falling asleep while driving.
Additionally, they face an increased risk of workplace accidents. They may also experience mood changes, irritability, and depression.
In children, sleep apnea may show as poor school performance and behavior problems.

Cardiovascular Complications

Decreased oxygen levels place significant stress on the heart and blood vessels. This increases the risk of hypertension (high blood pressure).
People with sleep apnea also have a higher chance of recurrent heart attacks and strokes. They also have a greater risk of irregular heartbeats, including atrial fibrillation.
Those with existing heart disease face the risk of sudden death due to low blood oxygen.

Metabolic Health Issues

Sleep apnea also increases the risk of insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes.
People with sleep apnea also have a higher likelihood of developing metabolic syndrome. This syndrome includes high blood pressure, abnormal cholesterol, high blood sugar, and an increased waist size.
These conditions collectively raise heart disease risk.

Surgical and Medication Risks

Complications with general anesthesia and certain medications are more common in people with sleep apnea.
They also have a higher chance of breathing problems during and after surgery. They also experience increased post-surgical complications.
Because of this, it’s important to inform doctors about sleep apnea before any surgery.

Liver Function

People with sleep apnea are also more likely to show abnormal liver function test results.
They also have a higher risk of liver scarring. They also have an increased chance of developing nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.

Impact on Partners and Relationships

Loud snoring disrupts sleep for bed partners. As a result, partners often need to sleep in separate rooms.
This can strain relationships and household harmony.

Central sleep apnea (CSA), a different form of sleep apnea, brings its own complications:

CSA-Related Fatigue

Disrupted sleep leads to extreme tiredness. This makes people with CSA experience daytime drowsiness, affecting daily functioning.
They also experience irritability and concentration problems. They also have a risk of falling asleep during important activities.

CSA Heart Complications

Oxygen level drops negatively impact heart health. This worsens existing heart conditions and increases the risk of developing irregular heart rhythms.
People with CSA also have a poorer overall prognosis than those with heart disease.