Snoring Relief and Sleep Apnea

What Are the Different Types of Sleep Apnea?

The Various Types of Sleep Apnea and Corresponding Threats to Health 

Sleep apnea is a condition characterized by periodic stops in breathing during stage 1 and REM sleep.  Such stops occur almost 100 times every night and greatly disturb a person’s rest, making sleep apnea extremely detrimental to one’s health and even life. 

One may ask why flow of air into the lungs is actually disturbed during sleep.  There are two main culprits and these two identify the two major types of sleep apnea as follows: 

1.         Obstructive sleep apnea.  The problem here is that the air passageway is blocked thus no air enters the lungs.  This type of problem with the airway is generally structural or anatomical in nature.  Enlarged tonsils in children make them prone to it.  An overweight person also has great tendency to experience sleep apnea since the tissues and muscles at the tongue and throat area are also large enough to cause blockage.  Some problems with the structure of the jaw may also bring about the same problems. 

2.         Central sleep apnea.  The problem here has to do with one’s motivation to breathe, which comes from the brain.  The signals necessary are not functioning well.  Heart failure is one of the major causes of this. 

A person may suffer from either of these types.  However, in some cases, some of the symptoms of both types manifest.  This type is then referred to as mixed sleep apnea.   

Obstructive sleep apnea is more prevalent as compared to central sleep apnea.  Those are the symptoms that people normally experience.  Snoring, which is very common among many people, especially men, is closely related to obstructive sleep apnea.   

The reason behind the obstruction of the air passageway into the lungs is not yet well explained.  However, it is likened to a straw, which, at some point, collapses.  Such causes the straw not to function well anymore.  Thus, the liquid does not flow smoothly and gets stuck at some portion. 

Same thing happens with the airway.  Although air is able to freely enter the nose, if the passageway, which is a tube, collapses, air stops to flow even before it gets to the lungs.   

There are muscles along the passageway that prevent it from collapsing.  However, during sleep, most muscles of the body relax.  Thus, these muscles along the airway relax as well leading to blockage.  For people without sleep apnea, though, these muscles do not relax so much to the point of causing an impediment. 

As soon as the body feels there is a limit in the supply of air, it becomes distressed and the brain awakens.  This explains the sleep disturbances that actually energizes the muscles again and keeps the airway clear from blockage.  However, as the person unconsciously goes back to sleep, the same cycle occurs. 

The entire process of finishing a cycle and starting another one continues all throughout the night.  Although the person is not conscious of any of those almost 100 times of waking up, it greatly harms his sleep patterns.  The person is not at all aware that he does experience it unless someone else at home has observed the phenomenon.    

Weight, as mentioned earlier, is pointed out as a major contributory factor.  An increase in fat in the area of the tongue and throat is believed to negatively affect the shape of the passageway, making it more prone to collapse. 

In relation to this, the shape of the jaw can have some impact as well.  A small jaw forces back the tongue that, in effect, blocks off the flow of air during sleep.  For people with such jaw structure, it is advised that they sleep on their side to reduce the tendency of the tongue to slide backwards. 

Moreover, any medication that induces too much relaxation must be avoided especially right before going to bed.  An intake of alcohol may have the same effect on the body.  Thus, it should be avoided a few hours before sleeping.   

Smoking, on the other hand, is harmful in a way that it can cause some swelling of the throat and airway.  Given this, it should also be avoided.  Children with swollen tonsils must be given treatment immediately.

It is a lot easier to give intervention to obstructive sleep apnea as compared to central sleep apnea but, just the same, the ultimate cure for both types has not yet been clearly determined as the causes are not very specific.  In spite of this, it remains important that sleep apnea be treated in any way possible since it poses serious threats to one’s health.   

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