**What Is Sleep Apnea? ** Sleep apnea is a primary sleep disorder that is characterized by an abnormal sleep pattern in which a person’s breathing stops and starts while they sleep. If this condition is left untreated it can lead to high blood pressure and even heart issues. Among all ages, sleep apnea is a very common and serious medical problem. It can affect both adults and children and also people of both genders, but it mostly affects men. Sleep apnea, if left untreated or unchecked, leads to loud snoring, daytime sleepiness or tiredness, and other cardiovascular problems. The temporary breathing gaps or lapses cause low sleep quality and also affect the overall health of the affected individual. Types Of Sleep Apnea There are a total of three types of sleep apnea. They are as follows: 1. Obstructive sleep apnea: This type of sleep apnea is the most common of the three. It occurs as a repetitive occurrence of complete or partial blockage of the airway passage. In this, the airway at the back of the throat may become physically blocked which leads to gasping. During an episode of sleep apnea, the chest and diaphragm muscles exert force more than normal as the air pressure increases to open up the airway passage. Breathing resumes back to normal with a sudden body jerk or gasping sound. Obstructive sleep apnea interferes with sound sleep, also reduces oxygen supply to all the vital organs, and is a leading cause of heart problems. 2. Central sleep apnea: During central sleep apnea, the airway passage is not blocked, instead the brain stem fails to send over signals to the respiratory muscles resulting in temporary blockage of the breathing. All of this occurs due to the failure of the respiratory control center. Thus, central sleep apnea targets the central nervous system. 3. Mixed sleep apnea: Mixed sleep apnea, also called compound sleep apnea, occurs when a person has both obstructive as well as central sleep apnea at the same time.

Occurrence Of Sleep Apnea In A Population Within a population, sleep apnea is calculated to affect 2 to 9 percent of adults. Among these, most of the cases are not diagnosed and most of the cases are of obstructive sleep apnea. Obstructive sleep apnea, according to analysis, affects more men than women, it can occur in all ages, but is mostly seen in older adults. For central sleep apnea, the occurrence rate is 9 percent in adults. The age group most affected is the middle-aged ones, the ratio is more significant in males than females. As a result, obstructive sleep apnea occurs at a higher rate than central sleep apnea. So in general, whenever sleep apnea is mentioned, it mostly refers to obstructive sleep apnea. Symptoms Of Sleep Apnea Mostly the signs of sleep apnea are not observed by the patient themself but by the person sleeping beside them. The affected patients do not have any sleep complaints whatsoever. The common signs and symptoms of sleep apnea are as follows: -Loud snoring -Excessive daytime sleepiness even after a good night’s sleep -Throbbing headaches in the mornings -Irritability -Difficulty thinking clearly -Breathing pattern is abnormal and causes labored breathing or can even stop for a minute or two -Usually sore or dry throat in the morning -Choking, gasping, or snorting that wakes the person up from their sleep by a sudden jerk -Excessive urination at night (nocturia) -Sexual dysfunction -Depression or anxiety attacks -Night sweats -Restlessness while sleeping or irregular waking at night -Cardiovascular problems -High blood pressure Causes Of Sleep Apnea Many reasons are present that lead to sleep apnea. Some of them are as follows: 1. Obesity: Being overweight is one of the leading causes of sleep apnea. It occurs in 60% of the cases. Obesity can lead to anatomical narrowing of the airway passage and occurs more in men. 2. Anatomical changes: The size and positioning of a person’s neck, jaw, tongue, and tonsils near the back of the throat can directly affect the airflow. 3. Family history: Those who have immediate relatives suffering from obstructive sleep apnea are more likely to develop it. 4. Cigarette smoking: People who smoke usually and are heavy smokers are at a higher risk to develop sleep apnea than those who do not smoke. 5. Sleeping on your back: In this position that is by lying straight on the bed causing the tissues around the airway to collapse easily leading to blockage of the airway. 6. Use of sedatives: The use of sedatives including the consumption of alcohol is also one of the causes of sleep apnea 7. Nasal congestion: The ability to breathe through the nose is reduced which leads to the development of sleep apnea. 8. Hormonal abnormalities: Medical conditions like hypothyroidism and acromegaly lead to sleep apnea which causes the swelling of the neck and collapses the neck tissues blocking airflow. Treatments Of Sleep Apnea The treatments available for sleep apnea are as follows: -Improving the sleep pattern and sleeping and waking up at regular times -Lifestyle changes, such as losing weight, reducing use of sedatives, and sleeping on your side can resolve some cases of sleep apnea -The use of a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) or bi-level positive airway pressure (BiPAP) machine, these devices push air through a mask and into the airway to keep it open during sleep

To Conclude Sleep apnea is a serious sleep disorder in which breathing stops and starts due to some blockage of the airway passage. There are three types: obstructive, central, and mixed sleep apnea. It occurs more in men than women. The leading causes of sleep apnea are obesity, sleeping on your side, smoking, and many more. FAQs What Are The 3 Types Of Sleep Apnea? The three types of sleep apnea are: -Obstructive sleep apnea is when there is blockage at the back of the throat that causes gasping and sudden body jerks. -Central sleep apnea is when the brain fails to send signals to the respiratory muscles which leads to respiratory failure. -Mixed sleep apnea is the combination of both obstructive and central sleep apnea. Can Sleep Apnea Kill You? It is extremely unlikely that the breathing pauses of sleep apnea itself could cause death. In other words, you won't just stop breathing permanently. OSA can increase your risk of potentially fatal short-term and chronic health conditions, some of which may cause sudden death. How Can You Stop Sleep Apnea? Sleep apnea can be stopped by improving the quality of sleep, bringing changes to your lifestyle like reducing weight, reducing the use of sedatives, giving up on smoking, and sleeping on your side. Another method is to use CPAP and BiPAP machines.