How to Know If You Have Sleep Apnea?

What Is Sleep Apnea?

Defined in many medical journals and documents, sleep apnea (or apnea)is always defined as a sleep disorder (somniopathy) and more precisely a sleep disorder in which pauses in breathing or periods of shallow breathing during sleep occur more often than normal (as defined by National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute).

In simple words, we could say that sleep apnea is a type of snoring in which there is a longer pause in the process of breathing, more precisely, inhaling the air. Air inflow is obstructed, partially or fully, by blocking the upper airway.This is known as obstructive sleep apnea and it is the most common type of sleep apnea.

If untreated, this condition is considered dangerous for human health, as it can cause or worsen the existing medical problems(various types of cardiovascular issues, including high blood pressure, heart attack, heart disease, stroke) and can even have lethal consequences(heart failure).

The Three Sleep Apnea Types

As mentioned above, there are 3 main types of sleep apnea. They are divided by what’s causing them.

So we have:

• Obstructive sleep apnea(OSA)–is the most common type which occurs when throat muscles relax and physically block the airways, which further cause the blocking of the airflow
• Central sleep apnea (CSA)– is a neural issue and occurs when the brain fails to send signals to the muscles that control breathing, which cause the breathing process to stop
• Complex sleep apnea– is a combination of the two previously mentioned types and happens when someone has both obstructive and central sleep apnea. Complex sleep apnea is also known as treatment-emergent central sleep apnea(TESCA).

Although sleep apnea happens occasionally to almost everyone, people with the severe condition should seek medical attention and treatment. As sleepapnea.org (American Sleep Apnea Association) states,with each apnea event, the brain rouses the sleeper, usually only partially, to signal breathing to resume. In those with severe sleep apnea this can happen hundreds of times a night, often most intensely late in the sleep cycle during rapid-eye-movement (REM) sleep. As a result, the patient’s sleep is extremely fragmented and of poor quality. Meanwhile, the disorder continuously reduces the oxygenation of the blood, further stressing the sleeper’s physical system.

How To Check If You Have Sleep Apnea?

The most common signs of sleep apnea are simple to notice by you and/or people around you.

The only correct way to determine if you have the medical condition of sleep apnea is by doing the sleep study(done by the medical professionals, in a lab, or at home)! But, before confirming it with the professionals, you can check first for yourself… You can examine and evaluate your sleeping and daily behavior, check for the signs or symptoms; or you can use a smartphone app to monitor your potential loud snoring (there are many apps that work by recording at night and detecting loud sounds (however, they also record any other loud noise such as traffic, so they are not too reliable!)).

Common signs of sleep apnea:

• Reduced or absent breathing, known as apnea events
• Frequent loud snoring
• Gasping for air during sleep

Common symptoms of sleep apnea:

• Excessive daytime sleepiness and fatigue
• Decreases in attention, vigilance,concentration, motor skills, and verbal and visuospatial memory
• Dry mouth or headaches when waking
• Sexual dysfunction or decreased libido
• Waking up often during the night to urinate

Children with sleep apnea may experience snoring, bed wetting, asthma exacerbation's, hyperactivity, tiredness, and learning and academic performance issues.

What Are The Causes And Risk Factors For Sleep Apnea?

Multiple factors may cause sleep apnea. Some come from genetic predispositions, some are caused by life habits,and some come with the age…

• Anatomical characteristics – Large tonsils,skull, jaw, neck, size and position of tissue and bones
• Obesity – is one of the most common cause of sleep apnea. Increased fat around the neck that can block the airway (being overweight is a leading cause of OSA and may be an under lying risk factor in up to 60% of cases, according to Sleep Foundation)
• Use of sedatives, including alcohol – Sedative medications and drugs can cause muscles to relax, thus making it easier to collapse around the airway
• Age – sleep apnea can occur at any age. The risk for sleep apnea increases as a person gets older.
• Family history and genetics – People who have close relatives with sleep apnea are more likely to develop one themselves
• Sleeping position – Sleeping on the back makes it easier for muscles and tissue to collapse around the airway
• Hormonal disorder.