Causes Of Sleep Apnea

Causes of sleep apnea are:

• An obstructed airway
• A central nervous system disorder such as a stroke, a brain tumor, or even a viral brain infection
• A chronic respiratory disease

Other possible causes of sleep apnea:

Asthma and sleep apnea: Young women with asthma are twice likely to have symptoms of obstructive sleep apnea, a condition that often goes undetected in women. 21 percent of young women with asthma experienced habitual snoring, which is the main symptom of sleep apnea.

Obesity and sleep apnea: Airways get constricted due to the excess body fat on the neck and chest. Abdominal and upper body obesity particularly is the main risk factor of obstructive sleep apnea. The more obese the person is, the greater is the risk of sleep apnea.

Tonsils and sleep apnea: Tonsils are small tissue growths that are found on both sides of the throat. They catch bacteria and produce antibodies to fight off infections. When tonsils become infected, they swell and can lead to tonsillitis. If the tonsils are so enlarged, then can interfere with breathing and leads to sleep apnea.

Adenoids and sleep apnea: Adenoids are a single clump of tissue in the back of the nose. Like tonsils, adenoids can also get infected and swollen. The swollen adenoids can obstruct breathing and cause snoring and sleep apnea.

GERD and sleep apnea: GERD or gastro esophageal reflux disease is a possible cause of sleep apnea. GERD can occur due to acid reflux. Esophageal tissues get damaged when stomach acid seeps into the esophagus. Chronic acid reflux can cause scars inside the throat, causing obstructions resulting in sleep apnea.

Effects of Sleep Apnea:

If left untreated, sleep apnea can result in a growing number of health problems including hypertension, stroke, and heart attacks.

In addition, untreated sleep apnea may be responsible for job impairment and motor vehicle crashes as well as academic underachievement in children and adolescents.

Sleep apnea has serious health consequences and can even be life-threatening. The sleep deprivation that is a result of sleep apnea affects both the sleeper and their bed partner.

The effects of sleep apnea include:

• Unclear thinking, lack of concentration
• A compromised immune system and slower healing
• Poor mental and emotional health
• Lack of smooth functioning of the body
• A negative mood, irritability
• Low energy
• Daytime sleepiness
• Decreased productivity