What is sleep apnea?
In obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), the muscles of the throat relax during sleep and narrow or block the airway. Breathing pauses for ten seconds or more, oxygen levels dip, and the brain briefly wakes the person up to restart breathing. This can happen dozens of times an hour, often without the person remembering it.
Common symptoms
- Loud, habitual snoring, often noticed first by a partner
- Pauses in breathing, gasping or choking during sleep
- Excessive daytime sleepiness and fatigue
- Morning headaches and a dry mouth on waking
- Poor concentration, irritability or low mood
- Waking up frequently at night to pass urine
Who is at risk?
Excess weight, a thick neck, a narrow airway, nasal obstruction, age, family history, alcohol use and smoking all raise the risk. Untreated sleep apnea is linked with high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes and road accidents caused by drowsiness.
How is it diagnosed?
Diagnosis starts with a clinical evaluation by a sleep physician. The confirming test is a sleep study: an overnight in-lab polysomnography, or in selected patients a home sleep apnea test. It records breathing, oxygen levels, heart rhythm and sleep stages, and gives an apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) that shows how severe the condition is.
Treatment options
- CPAP therapy: a mask delivers gentle air pressure that keeps the airway open. It is the first-line treatment for moderate to severe OSA.
- Lifestyle changes: weight loss, regular exercise, avoiding alcohol and sedatives near bedtime, and sleeping on the side.
- Oral appliances: custom-fitted devices that move the lower jaw forward, useful in mild to moderate cases.
- Surgery: considered when there is a specific anatomical problem, after assessment by an ENT sleep surgeon.
When to see a doctor
If you snore loudly and feel tired despite a full night in bed, or someone has seen you stop breathing in your sleep, speak to a sleep specialist. Early treatment improves sleep, energy and long-term health.
