Untreated sleep apnea can have many serious health consequences and potentially be deadly.

Sleep Apnea Overview

Sleep apnea is a sleep-breathing disorder that can lead to many serious health consequences such as high blood pressure, depression, excessive sleepiness, headaches, erectile dysfunction and more.

Sleep apnea occurs during sleep.  Most individuals are completely unaware of sleep interruptions caused by apnea. It is usually a bed partner that notices chronic snoring, sleep interruptions and even witnesses breathing interruptions that cause alarm.

There are three types of sleep apnea: obstructive, central, and mixed. Of these, obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is the most common. 

A person that experiences untreated sleep apnea can have hundreds of apnea episodes throughout the night, sometimes lasting a minute or more.

What is Obstructive Sleep Apnea?

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is the most common of the three types of sleep apnea.

During OSA sleep, the muscles in the throat relax. The jaw also relaxes and drifts back, causing the back of the tongue also to fall back, blocking the airway. 

Eventually, oxygen-starved blood in the brain leads to brief awakenings from sleep. This leads to sleep deprivation, as well as other medical consequences.

A thorough medical evaluation and a sleep evaluation through testing are usually the first places to discover if you are at risk for sleep apnea or other sleep-disordered breathing.

Treatment options for OSA include:

  • Weight loss
  • CPAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure Device)
  • Professional Custom Dental Oral Appliances
  • Positional Therapy
  • Surgery

At My Sleep Device, we are dedicated to educating our readers to learn more about snoring and sleep apnea. Make sure to check out the articles below. To learn even more, our Resource page is filled with helpful advice, product suggestions, videos and more.