What are the signs and symptoms?
- Disruptive snoring
- Daytime sleepiness
- Gasping during sleep
- General fatigue
- Frequent urination at night
- Morning headaches
- Difficulty concentrating
What is OSA?
OSA is a debilitating condition in which breathing stops during sleep in intervals that may last from 10 seconds to a minute or longer. This occurs as a result of a collapsed airway preventing air from getting into the lungs. When the brain senses that oxygen has dropped to a dangerous level it signals the body to wake up. Breathing then starts up again, often with a loud snort or choking sound. This cycle may occur 30 times or more an hour or as often as 800 times a night. These frequent disruptions of sound sleep not only result in excessive sleepiness or fatigue during the day but increase the risk of suffering potentially life-threatening conditions.
Who is at risk for OSA?
It is estimated that as many as 20 million Americans suffer from OSA, the majority of whom are undiagnosed. That’s because OSA is not easily detected in regular doctor check ups. In fact, it is often a sleeping partner who is first to notice the signs of OSA. Although everyone is susceptible, OSA is more than twice as prevalent in adult males than females and much rarer in children. Other increased risk factors include:
- Obesity
- Diagnosis of hypertension
- Excessive use of alcohol or sedatives
- Upper airway or facial abnormalities
- Smoking
- Family history of OSA
- Large neck circumference
- Endocrine and metabolic disorders