Who gets sleep apnea?

Sleep apnea occurs in all age groups and both sexes but is more common in men (it may be under diagnosed in women) and people over 40 years of age.  People most likely to have or develop sleep apnea include those who snore loudly and also are overweight, have high blood pressure, or have some physical abnormality of the nose, throat, or other parts of the upper airway.

Can sleep apnea be cured or will it go away?

In some individuals, sleep apnea is reversible.  Treatments such as weight loss or surgery may correct the problem.  However, for most people, sleep apnea will always be present and require treatment.  Generally, a CPAP, oral appliance, or positional device will need to be used every night to get the quality sleep your body needs and to prevent the serious complications of sleep apnea.

What happens to my body when I have an apnea?

An apnea in the simplest terms is when you stop breathing.  You body responds to an apnea in several ways.

1. The lack of air flow causes the oxygen levels in your blood to drop.

2. As a result, your pulse rate increases trying to get more oxygenated blood to your body.

3. Your brain will rouse itself so that your body adjusts and re-opens your airway.

4. This awakening keeps your body from reaching the deeper restorative parts of sleep.

   1. This can leave you with a weakened immune system and many other serious health complications.

   2. It also can cause a hormone imbalance as sleep deprivation causes the release of stress hormones which harm your body.