Sleep apnea is a common but serious sleep disorder where breathing repeatedly stops and starts during sleep. These pauses can last from a few seconds to over a minute, and they often happen dozens or even hundreds of times per night—without the person being fully aware.
😴 Types of Sleep Apnea
1. Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) – most common
-
Caused by airway blockage, usually when the soft tissue in the back of the throat collapses during sleep.
2. Central Sleep Apnea (CSA)
-
The brain fails to send proper signals to the muscles that control breathing.
3. Complex (Mixed) Sleep Apnea
-
A combination of OSA and CSA.
🚨 Symptoms of Sleep Apnea
-
Loud snoring
-
Gasping or choking during sleep
-
Frequent waking up (often without remembering it)
-
Daytime fatigue or sleepiness
-
Morning headaches
-
Difficulty concentrating or memory issues
-
Irritability or mood changes
-
Dry mouth or sore throat in the morning
🧠 Why It’s Serious
If untreated, sleep apnea can increase the risk of:
-
High blood pressure
-
Heart disease
-
Stroke
-
Type 2 diabetes
-
Depression
-
Accidents due to drowsiness
🩺 How It’s Diagnosed
-
Usually through a sleep study (polysomnography) at a clinic or home sleep test
-
Monitors breathing patterns, oxygen levels, and sleep stages
✅ Treatment Options
-
Lifestyle changes: weight loss, quitting smoking, avoiding alcohol
-
CPAP machine: delivers steady air to keep your airway open
-
Oral devices: reposition the jaw and tongue
-
Surgery: in severe or non-responsive cases
Bottom line: If you snore loudly, wake up tired, or feel sleepy during the day, sleep apnea might be the cause. It's highly treatable—don’t ignore the signs.