What Is Sleep Apnea?
Advancing Knowledge. Improving Lives.
Sleep apnea is a common yet frequently underdiagnosed sleep-related breathing disorder that affects millions of people worldwide. Left untreated, it can significantly impact overall health, daytime function, cognitive performance, and quality of life. It is associated with serious medical conditions, including cardiovascular disease, hypertension, diabetes, stroke, and depression.
The Global Institute for TMD and Orofacial Health is dedicated to improving the understanding, prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and long-term management of sleep-related breathing disorders through research, education, innovation, and humanitarian care.
Understanding Sleep Apnea
Sleep apnea is a disorder in which breathing repeatedly stops or becomes significantly reduced during sleep. These interruptions can occur dozens or even hundreds of times each night, reducing oxygen levels and disrupting normal sleep.
The most common form is obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), which occurs when the muscles of the upper airway relax during sleep, causing partial or complete blockage of airflow. Other forms include central sleep apnea (CSA), in which the brain fails to send appropriate signals to the breathing muscles, and complex sleep apnea syndrome, a combination of both obstructive and central sleep apnea.
Common signs and symptoms may include:
- Loud, persistent snoring
- Pauses in breathing witnessed by a bed partner
- Gasping or choking during sleep
- Excessive daytime sleepiness
- Morning headaches
- Difficulty concentrating or memory problems
- Irritability or mood changes
- Dry mouth or sore throat upon waking
- Poor sleep quality and frequent nighttime awakenings
Who Can Be Affected?
Sleep apnea can affect people of all ages, including children, although it is more common in adults.
Risk factors may include:
- Excess body weight or obesity
- Large neck circumference or narrowed airway anatomy
- Family history of sleep apnea
- Aging
- Male sex, although women are increasingly affected, particularly after menopause
- Nasal obstruction or chronic congestion
- Smoking and alcohol use
- Craniofacial abnormalities affecting the airway
- Certain medical conditions, including hypertension, diabetes, and heart disease
Early recognition and appropriate treatment can improve sleep quality, reduce health risks, and enhance overall well-being. Treatment options may include lifestyle modifications, oral appliance therapy, continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP), positional therapy, or surgical intervention, depending on the underlying cause and severity of the condition.