Sleep apnea causes interrupted breathing during sleep, leading to restless sleep, headaches, and memory impairment. There are two types: obstructive, where the throat closes, and central, where the brain doesn’t regulate muscle movements. It is common in overweight males over 50 and can lead to high blood pressure and stroke. Diagnosis involves monitoring during sleep, and treatment includes lifestyle changes, surgery, or an air pressure machine.
People with sleep apnea stop breathing for seconds or minutes at a time during the night. Interrupted breathing causes restless sleep, frequent awakenings, headaches, loud snoring, and memory impairment. Due to malfunctioning muscles or an malfunctioning brain, the throat does not open in time as the lungs expand, so the blood cannot acquire sufficient oxygen.
Two types of sleep apnea work by different means but create the same effect. In the obstructive variety, the throat closes when it usually stays open to let air through. Shallow or short breaths continue to squeeze at first, but then the throat narrows completely. Your body feels that the throat, tongue or uvula must block breathing. When oxygen isn’t absorbed, your brain sends an emergency signal to wake you up so you can clear the air passage.
The brain is the culprit for the second type of sleep apnea: central sleep apnea. The brain stops reliably regulating automatic muscle movements, such as lung expansion and heartbeat, which also occur when other muscles are paralyzed during deep sleep. Neurons don’t properly transmit messages to activate the “breathe” directive in the throat and lungs, so you stop breathing regularly.
From the Greek, “apnea,” meaning “need to breathe,” this condition is alarmingly common. Sleep apnea mostly affects those over 50, male, and overweight. Chronically undertreated, sleep apnea often goes undiagnosed. People assume they don’t get a good night’s sleep, not realizing they aren’t breathing enough.
Sleep apnea makes you tired and irritable when you have trouble remembering or concentrating. Someone sleeping near you can tell you if they hear coughing or snoring. Since sleep apnea can eventually lead to high blood pressure and increased risk of stroke, we should all confirm that we are getting enough oxygen throughout the night.
Your general practitioner may supervise a nighttime observation by a neurologist, pulmonologist, or polysomnologist who studies aspects of sleep behavior. They could connect you to sensors to measure your brain waves, muscle movement, pulse, and oxygen saturation. They determine if you stop breathing for more than ten seconds at least five times an hour. Surgery may be used to remove throat tissue or tonsils. Breathing can be assisted by an air pressure machine that keeps the airways open. Most commonly, your doctor will recommend major lifestyle changes, including not drinking alcohol or taking sleep aids before falling asleep, losing weight, or sleeping on your side instead of your back. Consult your doctor for details on sleep apnea.
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