Snoring While You Sleep? It May Be Sleep Apnea
What Is Obstructive Sleep Apnea
Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is the most common type of sleep-related breathing disorder. It occurs when one’s breathing is interrupted during sleep because the upper airway intermittently gets blocked by the tongue, muscles, and possibly other tissues. These intervals last for 10 seconds or longer with an average of at least 5 times per hour. Consequently, the body does not take enough oxygen, and complications arise. People with sleep apneas like OSA experience a drop of 3-4% in their oxygen levels.
The severity of OSA also varies. Doctors determine it through the Apnea-Hypopnea Index (AHI). The scale measures how often a person’s breathing stops or slows down during an hour of sleep. The classifications are as follows:
| No. of episodes per hour | Condition |
|---|---|
| 5-15 | Mild |
| 15-30 | Moderate |
| 30 or more | Severe |
Its Risk Factors & Symptoms
Anyone can have OSA but the following factors put one at an increased risk:
Hypertension - high blood pressure can worsen one’s breathing
Excess weight - fat deposits around the upper airway can obstruct one’s breathing
Smoking - smoking irritates the nose and throat, reducing the space of airflow
Diabetes - diabetes affects one’s central respiratory control, promoting OSA
Asthma - this condition narrows one’s airways, making OSA more possible to be experienced
Conditions like chronic nasal congestion, narrowed airways, and asthma also puts one at risk of OSA by increasing nasal obstruction that induces an increase in nasal resistance.
While the condition’s biggest symptom is snoring. Other symptoms include the following:
Daytime sleepiness
Daytime fatigue
Irritability and moodiness
Difficulty remembering
Morning headaches
Waking up with a dry mouth
Excessive daytime sleepiness
Gasping for air during sleep
What You Can Do
A change in lifestyle is the simplest treatment for people with milder cases of OSA. Losing weight, exercising regularly, quitting smoking, and using allergy medications can help manage sleep better.
For those with moderate to severe conditions, other treatments can be recommended such as using an oral device or a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine. Oral devices for sleep apnea are designed to keep the throat open. Some are made to move the jaw forward while some are designed to hold the tongue in a different position to make such happen. A CPAP machine on the one hand is used to deliver constant positive air pressure to help one breathe while sleeping, helping them reduce respiratory and cardiovascular complications as well as improve quality of life.
For severe cases, jaw surgery (also known as maxillomandibular advancement surgery) may be prescribed. This procedure allows doctors to reposition one’s jaw bones with the aim of opening the airway. Learn more about the surgery here. You can also consult with your PAPRAS surgeon to know if you are a candidate for jaw surgery. Find them easily through our surgeon locator.