Obstructive sleep apnea can cause people to feel extremely tired even after a good night’s rest. This can affect their health by making them more prone to motor vehicle crashes or other accidents resulting from daytime drowsiness, and it can increase the risk of heart disease. The episodes of stopping breathing that occur in obstructive sleep apnea lead to drops in blood oxygen levels, which stresses the cardiovascular system and can cause high blood pressure, arrhythmias (problems with heart rhythm) and heart failure.

Obstructive Sleep Apnea: What It Is and How to Treat It

In obstructive sleep apnea, the throat muscles relax and collapse into the windpipe, restricting airflow. The brain then briefly awakens from sleep to get the muscles working again, which can happen hundreds of times per night. This disrupts sleep and causes poor quality of life and a range of symptoms, including loud snoring, breath pauses during sleep called apneas, recurrent morning headaches, memory problems, and irritability.

Many things can contribute to obstructive sleep apnea, including obesity, being older, having a large throat or enlarged tonsils, and having a narrow or deviated airway. Some medical conditions such as a history of congestive heart failure, high blood pressure or type 2 diabetes can also increase the risk. Other risk factors include smoking, chronic nasal congestion and medications such as sedatives or steroids.

The most common treatment for obstructive sleep apnea is continuous positive airway pressure, or CPAP. CPAP involves wearing a mask while sleeping, and it conducts pressurized air into the nose and mouth. This helps keep the airway open and prevents the tongue from collapsing over it while asleep. Other treatments for obstructive sleep apnea involve using dental appliances or surgery. One newer technique, called hypoglossal nerve stimulation, involves attaching a small electronic device to the nerve that goes to the tongue. It stimulates the tongue to help keep the airway open by pushing it forward.