Sleep apnea: a common condition that’s more serious than you think

Did you know approximately six million Americans have been diagnosed with sleep apnea? The American Medical Association reports 1 in 10 Americans, have this serious condition and do not know it. This could include you.

If left untreated, sleep apnea can lead to kidney, heart, and metabolic health complications like diabetes. Treatment for sleep apnea can improve your quality of life and help regulate blood pressure.

What are the symptoms?

First off, it’s important to know signs and symptoms of sleep apnea, which include:

• Waking up several times during a night’s sleep.
• Snoring is not always a sure sign, but it's a common one in up to 94% of patients.
• Waking up feeling exhausted.
• Having brain fog or reduced focus.
• Experiencing chronic headaches, usually in the morning
• Feeling irritable or frustrated often.
• Having a dry mouth when you wake up.
• Breathing abnormally as you sleep, such as pausing while you breathe, or you breathe deeply, then shallower, then not at all.

If you’re experiencing any of these symptoms, talk to your primary care provider to refer you to the sleep specialists at MercyOne Sleep Medicine. While you may not want to take the time to do this testing or go to another medical appointment, it's extremely important to know if you have sleep apnea.

Types of sleep apnea

There are different types of sleep apnea, obstructive and central. Obstructive sleep apnea is the most common form and occurs because of a blocked airway. Central apnea happens when your brain doesn't correctly control your breathing.

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA)

• Occurs when the tongue and soft palate blocks your airway while sleeping.
• Is more common in men before age 50, but just as common in men and women after 50.
• Age is a risk factor.
• Being overweight or obese increases the risk of sleep apnea
• Occurs more in people who are Black, Hispanic or Asian.

Mild, moderate and severe OSA

When looking at the severity of OSA, the important consideration is the number of events per hour (called the apnea-hypopnea index) you’re having when your breathing has stopped or is hindered as you sleep.

Mild: 5-14 events per hour. May be asymptomatic or cause mild daytime sleepiness

Moderate: 15-30 events per hour. Occasionally sleepy during the day.

Severe: over 30 events per hour. Often sleepy during the day and interferes with daily activities.

Central sleep apnea

• More common in adults over 60 years old
• Can be caused by living at high altitudes or taking opioid medication
• Having a heart condition, such as atrial fibrillation or congestive heart failure increases your risk

Health risks and treatments

If sleep apnea goes untreated, it can cause different serious health complications, such as:

• Heart damage and heart failure.
• Heart arrhythmias and stroke.
• Sudden cardiac death.
• Daytime drowsiness.
• Increased risk of developing dementia.

Treatment for sleep apnea can range from conservative to less conservative, and although these aren’t cures, they can reduce symptoms.

Conservative treatments

• Weight loss
• Changing sleep position
• Nasal sprays or strips (helps more with snoring)
• Treatment of underlying conditions
• Minimizing alcohol use

Non-invasive treatments

• Use of a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP), bilevel positive airway pressure (BiPAP), or automatic positive airway pressure (APAP) machine.
• Use of oral devices, mandibular advancement devices (MADs), to help hold your jaw and tongue in a position that keeps pressure off your windpipe.

Sleep Surgery

• Connecting a nerve stimulator to push your tongue forward while sleeping.
• Removal of tonsils and adenoids, jaw surgery or nasal surgery.

While it’s not comfortable to admit you might have a serious condition, such as sleep apnea, it's important for your health now and in the future. If you’re waking up several times in the night, feeling exhausted in the morning, snoring on a regular basis, or have other related symptoms, consult your primary care provider today.

This blog was medically reviewed by a MercyOne provider.