What is pathology sleep apnea?

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a sleep disorder whereby breathing repeatedly stops due to obstruction and collapse of the pharynx within the upper airway. The pathophysiology underlying OSA is attributable to both anatomical (structural) and neuromuscular (nonstructural) elements.

What is the most common cause of sleep apnea?

In adults, the most common cause of obstructive sleep apnea is excess weight and obesity, which is associated with the soft tissue of the mouth and throat. During sleep, when throat and tongue muscles are more relaxed, this soft tissue can cause the airway to become blocked.

How is sleep apnea related to psychology?

Studies show an association between sleep apnea and mental health conditions—with mood, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder, being highly comorbid with sleep apnea, and there are reports of higher risk of sleep apnea in psychosis and schizophrenia as well.

What happens during sleep apnea?

Sleep apnea is a serious sleep disorder that occurs when a person’s breathing is interrupted during sleep. People with untreated sleep apnea stop breathing repeatedly during their sleep, sometimes hundreds of times. This means the brain — and the rest of the body — may not get enough oxygen.

How sleep apnea ruined my life?

Sleep Apnea And Your Health Sleep apnea has been linked to dementia in older women, and another observational study found that women with untreated severe OSA are 3.5 times more likely to die from cardiovascular disease than women without OSA! Simply put: You cannot afford to let sleep apnea go untreated.

What does a sleep apnea look like?

Sleep Apnea Signs: Snoring, Gasping, Sleepiness Loud, persistent snoring. Pauses in breathing, accompanied with gasping episodes when sleeping. Excessive sleepiness during waking hours.

What does sleep apnea look like?

Can skinny people have sleep apnea?

Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) has long been though of as an overweight man’s disease. The stereotypical patient snores loudly, stops breathing for long pauses, shakes the bed, and is impossible to sleep with!

What are the 2 types of sleep apnea?

The main types of sleep apnea are:

• Obstructive sleep apnea, the more common form that occurs when throat muscles relax.
• Central sleep apnea, which occurs when your brain doesn’t send proper signals to the muscles that control breathing.

How serious is sleep apnea?

Sleep apnea is common and can be very serious in the long term, putting patients at risk for hypoxemia, hypercapnia, and congestive heart failure. Other potential damage involves permanent brain injury.

Is sleep apnea a life-threatening condition?

Sleep apnea is a serious, potentially life-threatening condition that is far more common than generally understood. First described in 1965, sleep apnea is a breathing disorder characterized by brief interruptions of breathing during sleep.

What are the effects of sleep apnea?

The sleep deprivation that is a result of sleep apnea affects both the sleeper and their bed partner. The effects of sleep apnea include: Unclear thinking, lack of concentration. A compromised immune system and slower healing. Poor mental and emotional health. Lack of smooth functioning of the body.

Why do I stop breathing at night?

Stop breathing while sleeping: Causes and risk factors. Sleep apnea may be caused by a variety of issues such as an allergic reaction, cardiac arrest, asthma, lung problems, fluid in the lungs, or drug overdose. These causes are severe and should be looked into by a health care professional.