What is Sleep Apnea?
You are ready for a sound, deep sleep when you go to bed. Unfortunately, your breathing mechanism has stopped getting that memo. For some reason, it pauses and starts repeatedly throughout the night; this is sleep apnea.
There are two types of sleep apnea, with obstructive sleep apnea being the most common. It happens when the muscles at the back of your throat relax a bit too much. They get in the way of the air trying to get in and out of your lungs. The other type, called central sleep apnea, is less about a physical blockage and more about your brain forgetting to send the right signals to the muscles that control breathing.
Depending on how frequently this stop-start breathing happens in an hour, sleep apnea can be classified as mild, moderate, or severe:
Mild Sleep Apnea
The interruptions occur 5 to 14 times in an hour. You might feel tired during the day, but it is not overwhelming.
Moderate Sleep Apnea
causes breathing to pause 15 to 30 times an hour. Daytime sleepiness becomes more pronounced, affecting daily activities and mood.
Severe Sleep Apnea
The breathing stops more than 30 times an hour. This level can result in major daytime fatigue, concentration problems, and a higher risk of cardiovascular issues.
How Obstructive Sleep Apnea Impacts Your Body
In obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), the “stops” (apneas) occur because the airway is physically blocked. The “starts” happen when your body briefly awakens to reopen the airway, although you are unlikely to remember these awakenings.
Each breathing pause can last from a few seconds to over a minute. The frequency and duration of these pauses vary widely among individuals. During these pauses, the oxygen level in your blood drops to an alarming level, which sends a distress signal to your brain, triggering it to wake you up briefly to resume breathing.
These disruptions prevent you from entering or staying in the deep, restorative stages of sleep (REM sleep). As you probably know, REM sleep is when your body repairs, consolidates memories, and processes information.
The constant interruptions in breathing and the fluctuation in oxygen levels can stress the body in several ways:
- Heart Strain: Repeated drops in oxygen levels and sudden wake-ups strain your heart and thus increase the risk of high blood pressure, heart attack, stroke, and irregular heartbeats (arrhythmias).
- Metabolic Syndrome: Sleep apnea is associated with metabolic syndrome, a cluster of conditions that increase the risk of heart disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes. These conditions include increased blood sugar, cholesterol, and body fat around the waist.
- Mental Health Effects Chronic sleep deprivation caused by sleep apnea can lead to mood swings, anxiety, depression, and cognitive impairments such as memory issues and decreased concentration.
- Daytime Fatigue When you are not receiving enough solid sleep, you are bound to feel tired and irritable during the day. This affects your performance at work or school and increases the risk of accidents while driving or operating heavy machinery.
Stop Sleep Apnea in its Tracks: Schedule Your Visit with Our Team
Not addressing the symptoms of sleep apnea, even if it is “just snoring,” can have a profound impact on your life and day-to-day functions:
- It increases the risk of high blood pressure, heart disease, heart attacks, and stroke due to repeated drops in blood oxygen levels during sleep.
- It makes you more prone to insulin resistance and glucose intolerance, which means a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
- It might result in scarring on your liver (nonalcoholic fatty liver disease).
- It can keep you in a continuously mentally foggy and stressed-out state.
- It can tank your productivity because of the extreme drowsiness during the day.
- It also puts you and the people around you at a higher risk of motor vehicle and workplace accidents.
- It can diminish your libido and sexual function, creating problems in your intimate relationships.
