Sleep apnea causes repeated reductions (or pauses) in breathing for brief periods while you sleep. The pauses prevent your body from getting the oxygen it needs and increase the amount of carbon dioxide in your blood. As a result, you feel drowsy during the day. If untreated, sleep apnea can cause heart disease, depression and high blood pressure. It also puts you at a higher risk for car crashes and work-related accidents. Treatment aims to normalize your breathing, relieve symptoms and address any underlying health problems. Treatments include lifestyle changes, mouthpieces, surgery and breathing devices.

Symptoms of obstructive sleep apnea are drowsiness during the day, snoring and interrupted sleep. You may have headaches or a sore throat after sleeping. You may also notice that you or your partner is choking or gasping often during the night. Your doctor diagnoses obstructive Sleep Apnea by having you participate in a sleep study, which can be done at home or at a sleep center.

Understanding Sleep Apnea and How Your Dentist Can Help

The main risk factors for obstructive sleep apnea include being overweight, having a thick neck and large tonsils, a narrow upper airway and having a family history of the condition. Other risk factors are a previous stroke or heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, asthma, a cleft lip or palate, congestive heart failure, and certain medical conditions like polycystic ovary syndrome, rheumatoid arthritis and chronic lung diseases such as emphysema and cystic fibrosis.

Sleep apnea can raise your risk for metabolic syndrome, a group of conditions that includes high blood pressure, abnormal cholesterol levels, high blood sugar and excess fat around the abdomen. These conditions can lead to type 2 diabetes and heart disease.