if you have obstructive sleep apnea your
breathing pauses for brief periods while
you're asleep
normally when you breathe in air flows
in through your mouth and nose and down
your throat also called the pharynx
air then flows down your windpipe or
trachea spreading through a tree-like
structure of smaller tubes into your
lungs
each time you breathe in negative
suction pressure pulls the soft tissues
in your mouth and pharynx inward
the muscles in your pharynx respond by
pulling the soft tissues outward again
which keeps your airway open
when you sleep it's normal for the
muscles in your mouth tongue and pharynx
to relax slightly but not enough to
block your airway
if you have obstructive sleep apnea the
muscles of your mouth and pharynx may
relax too much
your tongue drops onto the soft tissue
in the roof of your mouth pressing it
against the back of your throat
this completely blocks the flow of air
into your lungs
the lack of oxygen in your lungs wakes
you up
you may gasp for air to re-establish air
flow before falling asleep again
the cycle of apnea and waking up may
happen many times at night preventing
restful sleep
factors that may contribute to
obstructive sleep apnea include
obesity because more fat may be present
in the walls of the pharynx
a small or receding jaw with a narrowed
airway
loss of muscle tone in your pharynx due
to aging
and swollen tonsils
common symptoms of obstructive sleep
apnea
are snoring
morning headaches
chronic daytime sleepiness
fatigue
irritability
and impaired concentration
left untreated obstructive sleep apnea
may lead to complications such as
high blood pressure
heart disease
irregular heartbeats called arrhythmias
stroke
and diabetes
your doctor may recommend lifestyle
changes to treat obstructive sleep apnea
including losing weight
sleeping on your side
not smoking
and avoiding substances that can make
you sleepy such as alcohol and sedatives
for mild or moderate obstructive sleep
apnea an oral appliance may keep your
airway open this device works by pulling
your jaw forward and moving both your
tongue and the roof of your mouth away
from the back of your throat
the most common and effective treatment
for obstructive sleep apnea is a
continuous positive airway pressure or
cpap machine
this machine pumps air through a tube
into a mask that fits over your nose or
both your nose and mouth
the mild air pressure of the cpap
machine helps keep your airway open
enabling you to get a deep restful sleep