Snoring is a common behavior, and most everyone knows someone who snores. Perhaps it’s a spouse or grandparent that disturbs your sleep with loud noises. Snoring is a harmless condition unless it interferes with sleep. According to the Sleep Apnea Foundation, at least 22 million American adults have sleep apnea and the number is growing.
Sleep apnea can cause other problems or make chronic conditions like heart disease or diabetes worse.
Obstructed sleep apnea
According to Johns Hopkins, obstructed sleep apnea is defined by periods of shallow breathing and holding a breath for more than 10 seconds.
When awake, the muscles in the throat keep the airway open. That airway runs from your mouth, down your nose and into the lungs. When you lie down, the airway can get narrower because your muscles relax.
If something blocks that airway, the sound of the air squeezing through creates that snoring. If someone is overweight, it's more likely that the relaxed tissue will block the airway, leading to snoring. If you've heard someone snore and stop breathing suddenly, that's called obstructive sleep apnea.
Central sleep apnea
Another sleep disorder is central sleep apnea. Less common, only about 5% of people suffer from this condition. This occurs when the brain doesn't send that signal to the muscles to take a breath. It may also occur as a result of other conditions such as heart failure, stroke, or sleeping at a high altitude.
Sleep apnea risk factors
Sleep apnea can affect anyone, but certain risk factors may increase the likelihood of having the condition. According to the Mayo Clinic, these are the most common risk factors for adults developing sleep apnea.
1. Gender: Men are twice as likely to develop obstructive sleep apnea than women.
2. Age: Being over 60 increases the risk.
3. Genetics: Family history can contribute to a greater risk.
4. Anatomy: People with naturally thick necks tend to suffer more from sleep apnea.
5. Smoking: Smokers are three times more at risk because of the inflammation of the airways.
How to prevent sleep apnea
According to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, sleep apnea is a treatable condition with many factors well within our control. Watching weight and diet, limiting smoking and alcohol, and reviewing medications are all basic lifestyle choices within our control. Other suggestions include:
- Changing sleep positions by sleeping on your side or elevating your head
- Using a nasal dilator, saline spray, or nasal strips to open the nasal passages
- Exploring the use of machines or devices
Machines for treating sleep apnea
Positive airway pressure (PAP) is a general therapy term where a stream of compressed air is used to keep airways open during sleep. Most devices are about the size of a Kleenex box and have a piece that fits over the nose or the nose and mouth. They prevent sleep apnea episodes and snoring, reducing the amount of daytime sleepiness and improving quality of health. Different machines are available.
- An APAP - Automatic positive airway pressure (APAP) adjusts to an individual's breathing needs.
- A CPAP – Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) delivers continuous pressure.
- BPAP machines - “BiPAP” is a trade name, while BPAP is a type of machine. Less common, they work a lot like a CPAP except they provide more air during inhalation and less while exhaling.