Jon R. Doud, M.D.

Pulmonologist at Dreyer Medical Clinic-Mercy Campus

Doctors estimate that about 12 million Americans have sleep apnea. Men and people who are over 40 years of age are more likely to have sleep apnea, but it can affect anyone at any age. The condition is under-recognized, in that for every person who has been diagnosed with sleep apnea, there are an estimated 10 more people with the disorder who have not yet been diagnosed.

People with sleep apnea stop breathing for 10 to 30 seconds at a time while they are sleeping. These short stops in breathing can happen up to 400 times every night! If you have sleep apnea, the periods of not breathing may cause low oxygen levels in your bloodstream, and this often leads to disruption of your sleep. If your sleep is disrupted all night long, you aren't getting enough rest from your sleep. This will typically lead to excessive daytime sleepiness and low energy levels.

There are two kinds of sleep apnea: obstructive apnea and central apnea. Obstructive sleep apnea is the most common type. Nine out of 10 people with sleep apnea have this type. If you have obstructive apnea, something is blocking the upper airway passage that brings air into your lungs. You keep trying to breathe, but you can't get enough air because of the blockage.

Central sleep apnea is rare. This type is called central apnea because it is related to the function of the central nervous system. If you have this type of apnea, the muscles you use to breathe don't get the “go-ahead” signal from your brain. Either the brain doesn't send the signal, or the signal gets interrupted. This is most often seen in people who've had strokes or poor heart function.

Your doctor can diagnose sleep apnea. The person you sleep with may notice it first. You, or that person, may notice heavy snoring or long pauses in your breathing during sleep. Even if you don't remember waking up during the night, you may notice daytime sleepiness (such as falling asleep at work, while driving, or when talking), and irritability or fatigue. You may also notice that you have morning headaches, forgetfulness, mood changes and a decreased interest in sex. If you have symptoms of sleep apnea, your doctor may ask you to go to a sleep center for a sleep study. Tests done at the sleep center may reveal presence of sleep apnea, and nightly treatment may be recommended.

Mild sleep apnea isn't very harmful. However, more severe sleep apnea will lead to serious problems if it isn't treated. Your risk of hypertension, heart disease and stroke is higher if serious sleep apnea goes untreated. You are also more likely to have traffic accidents if you drive while you're sleepy. If you have sleep apnea, it is very important for you to get treatment.

The following steps help many people with sleep apnea sleep better:

• Stop all use of alcohol or sleep medicines. These relax the muscles in the back of your throat, potentially making sleep apnea even worse.
• If you are overweight, lose weight.
• Sleep on your side instead of your back.

If you still have problems, a sleep test may indicate that your condition can be treated with a special mask over your nose while you are sleeping. This treatment is called "continuous positive airway pressure," or CPAP. The mask will keep your airway open by adding pressure to the air you breathe. The mask helps most people with sleep apnea. In a very few cases, surgery is necessary to remove tonsils or extra tissue from the throat.