Sleep Apnea is actually a breathing disorder that is characterized by brief interruptions of breathing during sleep. In a given night, a person could have as many as 20 to 60 involuntary breathing pauses, or apneic events, per hour.

Sleep apnea is more common in men over 40 years of age, and may be genetic. It is also more likely to afflict those who snore loudly, since the repeated vibrations of the soft palate during snoring can cause the palate to lengthen and obstruct the airway. Those who are overweight, have high blood pressure or some physical abnormality in the nose, throat or other part of the upper airway are also more susceptible to sleep apnea.

Sleep apnea happens when the throat muscles and tongue relax during sleep and partially block the opening of the airway, making breathing labored and noisy or even stopping it altogether. Sleep apnea can also occur in obese people when there is an excess amount of tissue in the airway, causing it to narrow. The person continues his or her efforts to breathe, but it cannot easily flow into or out of the nose or mouth, resulting in heavy snoring, periods of no breathing and frequent arousals.

Diagnosis of sleep apnea is difficult because of the many different conditions that exist involving disturbed sleep. Your physician may perform a polysomnography test, which records a variety of body functions during sleep, or a Multiple Sleep Latency Test (MSLT), which measures the speed in which you fall asleep.

Treatment of sleep apnea depends on the patient’s medical history, physical exam and polysomnography results. The most common treatment for sleep apnea is a procedure called Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP). In this procedure, the patient wears a mask over the nose during sleep, and constant and continuous pressure from an air blower forces air through the nasal passages. Nasal CPAP prevents airway closure while in use, but apnea episodes return when the treatment is stopped or used improperly. Dental appliances that reposition the lower jaw and the tongue have also proven to be helpful to some patients with mild or moderate sleep apnea.

Other Resources

National Sleep Foundation
www.sleepfoundation.org

American Academy of Sleep Medicine
www.aasmnet.org