What Are the Different Types of Sleep Apnea?

Sleep apnea is a breathing disorder in which sufferers often stop breathing many times throughout one sleep cycle. A very serious disorder, sleep apnea can be deadly if left untreated. There are two major types of sleep apnea: obstructive and central. Understanding the symptoms and treatments of both can not only help you determine if you might suffer from sleep apnea, but also arm you with information on the disease and encourage you to see a health professional for possible treatment.

Symptoms of Sleep Apnea

Sleep apnea can be hard to self-diagnose since the breathing symptoms happen during your sleep. However, there are symptoms to note that occur during waking hours, including overwhelming fatigue during the day; awakening during the night feeling breathless or panting; morning headaches and sore throats and problems sleeping through the night. One of the biggest symptoms is something your partner or family member can alert you to: loud snoring, followed by brief bouts of silence, in regular intervals.

Obstructive Sleep Apnea

One type of sleep apnea is known as obstructive. This type of sleep apnea occurs during sleep when the soft palate in the throat sags down, blocking the airway. Then, the airway collapses and breathing stops until the chest muscles force the blockage back open again. This process is usually loud and results in a snort and then continuous snoring. This can be dangerous because the blood oxygen levels fall, blood pressure shoots up and the heart works harder than it should.

Causes of Obstructive Sleep Apnea

Obstructive sleep apnea can be caused by a number of factors. The condition itself is caused by throat muscles becoming more relaxed than normal, which causes the tongue to relax and block breathing. The tonsils may become enlarged as well. Being overweight can cause and exacerbate this condition as more tissue in the throat can put undue pressure on the airway. Taking certain medications, such as sleeping pills and antihistamines, can cause this disorder as well.

Central Sleep Apnea

Central sleep apnea is the other main type of apnea. It is not nearly as common as obstructive sleep apnea. Central sleep apnea occurs when the chest muscles stop working for awhile, even the though the airway remains open. Blood oxygen levels drop, forcing you to wake up and gasp for air. Those that suffer from central sleep apnea often feel exhausted during the day, but the difference between the two types of apnea is that no snoring occurs during sleep cycles.

Causes of Central Sleep Apnea

Central sleep apnea is rare and can be dangerous. It can be caused by many different things including Cheyne-Stokes respiration, which occurs in people with congestive heart failure. High altitude is also a culprit as are degenerative muscular disorders. Stroke victims can also be subject to this condition, as well as anyone that has a medical condition that affects the area of the brain that controls breathing.

Mixed Sleep Apnea

The last type of sleep apnea is called mixed sleep apnea. It basically involves a person suffering from both obstructive and central sleep apnea in alternating bouts. It's usually characterized by long periods of obstructive apnea symptoms with brief interludes of central apnea episodes.