Obstructive Sleep Apnea

By far the most common type of sleep apnea, it is believed that nearly 1 in 5 adults in the US suffer from this condition, at least mildly! However, far fewer suffer from chronic, severe obstructive sleep apnea.

Obstructive sleep apnea is caused when the walls of soft tissue surrounding the airway slacken or relaxe during sleep, causing obstruction. The deeper you fall asleep, the more you relax. Sleep apnea is often regarded as a problem for the overweight or obese, there is no doubt that excess fat around the neck area contributes to obstructive sleep apnea.

A temporary problem?

Colds and sore throats may cause sleep apnea
Some people only suffer from sleep apnea temporarily, perhaps when suffering from an upper respiratory illness (that is, a cold, hay fever, flu and so on). A sore and swollen throat can give you temporary sleep apnea, as can inflamed and enlarged tonsils. Sleep apnea is common with bad cases of infectious mononucleosis (glandular fever).

Avoid alcohol, other relaxing drugs and sleeping pills
Alcohol and other relaxing drugs can also cause sleep apnea, as the body becomes excessively relaxed and falls too deeply asleep to be easily woken. We know from experience that drinking alcohol certainly makes any sleep apnea worse and should be avoided! Similarly you should give a wide berth to sleeping pills.

What does obstructive sleep apnea look like?

When you first see someone suffering from obstructive sleep apnea you will be appalled at how much movement and effort goes into breathing - and probably amazed that the sufferer manages to "sleep through" or be unaware of the process. While the breathing stops, the sufferer's chest continues to move with the inhalation, and in fact the movement often becomes exaggerated. It can be painful, and worrying, to watch. The chest muscles and the whole diaphragm contracts and sometimes the sufferer will jerk or struggle for breath. I have been woken many times during the night by being kicked - hard - by my husband as his body thrashes around the bed!