What Causes Sleep Apnea?
Sleep apnea can develop due to a variety of anatomical and lifestyle-related factors. In cases of obstructive sleep apnea, the muscles in the back of the throat relax excessively during sleep, narrowing or blocking the airway. This can be influenced by the structure of the jaw, tongue, or soft palate.
Other contributing factors may include excess weight, which can increase pressure around the airway, as well as nasal congestion or certain sleep positions. Age and gender also play a role; older patients are more likely to have the condition, and it’s much more common in males than in females.
What Risks Are Associated with Sleep Apnea?
Left untreated, sleep apnea can lead to a range of serious health concerns – including high blood pressure, stroke, heart disease, and type 2 diabetes.
In addition to these conditions, disrupted sleep cycles can interfere with your body’s ability to fully rest and recover. This may result in persistent daytime drowsiness, irritability, depression, and reduced focus.
Addressing sleep apnea early can reduce these risks and support healthier, more restorative sleep patterns for both you and your partner.
Sleep Apnea vs. Snoring
As mentioned above, while snoring is a common symptom of sleep apnea, the two are not the same. Snoring happens when our airway becomes partially blocked; this narrowing of the airway creates a noisy vibration. In most cases, snoring is a minor issue that can easily be treated with an oral appliance.
Unlike simple snoring, sleep apnea is linked to significant health risks. Another key difference is that sleep apnea involves repeated pauses in breathing, which may be accompanied by gasping or choking sounds during sleep. Individuals with sleep apnea may also experience frequent awakenings, even if they don’t fully remember them.
Thankfully, it’s usually fairly easy for doctors to differentiate between sleep apnea and snoring. The issue can typically be diagnosed using simple, non-invasive methods, which we’ll discuss in the next section.
