When was the last time you had a good night’s rest? If you’re like roughly 20 million Americans out there, it’s possible that it has been a while–and sleep apnea could be to blame! 80% of moderate and severe obstructive sleep apnea goes undiagnosed, and it could be what’s keeping you up at night
Read on and find out how you can tackle sleep apnea and obesity all at once with weight-loss surgery!
The 3 Types of Sleep Apnea
Sleep apnea is when a sleeping person involuntarily stops breathing. Apnea is a Greek word which literally translates to “without breath.” Most people who suffer from this condition don’t know they have it, although they stop breathing hundreds of times throughout the night.
There are three types of sleep apnea:
- Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA): the most common form of sleep apnea; throat muscles relax during sleep, blocking a person’s airway intermittently
- Common symptoms include loud snoring, morning headaches, excessive sleepiness during the day, mood changes such as depression or irritability, and more.
- Central sleep apnea (CSA): the brain temporarily fails to send the right signals to the muscles that control breathing
- Common symptoms include waking up short of breath, chronic fatigue, difficulty concentrating, poor or restless sleep, stopped or irregular breathing during sleep, mood changes, and more.
- Mixed or Complex sleep apnea: a combination of OSA and CSA
Although sleep apnea is a very common disorder, all three types of the condition can become dangerous for those afflicted.
Risk Factors for Sleep Apnea
One of the biggest risk factors for sleep apnea is a person’s weight, with studies showing that overweight and obesity can be directly linked to many cases of OSA. However, there are even more factors which may put you more at risk, including:
- Age
- Enlarged tonsils or adenoids
- Family history/genetics
- Frequent alcohol use
- Smoking
How Does Sleep Apnea Affect Me?
People with sleep apnea most commonly find that sleep apnea impacts their sleep and, in turn, their ability to function during the waking hours. Even if you don’t notice the problem, it often results in less restful sleep, which can lead to trouble with driving, operating machinery, and job performance—just to name a few.
If left untreated, it can have even greater effects that are potentially life-threatening, like high blood pressure (hypertension), heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and depression.
It also may be affecting those around you, as loud and disruptive snoring can keep up the whole house. The common detriments to mood and concentration may affect your