Sleep Apnea Cause

Narrowing down a sleep apnea cause will depend on the type of sleep apnea you have. There are two main types of sleep apnea: obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and central sleep apnea. When a combination of these two types occurs, it is called mixed, or complex, sleep apnea.

Can sleep apnea cause death?

People with sleep apnea stop breathing during their sleep. This causes poor quality sleep, and is linked to other possible conditions such as weight gain.

Central sleep apnea is distinctly different from obstructive sleep apnea in the sense that the cause is neurologically-based. In central sleep apnea, breathing is disrupted because your brain stops trying to breathe. The brain normally sends messages to your muscles that help you breathe. People who have central sleep apnea do not send these messages from their brain to their muscles, and therefore stop breathing during their sleep.

For central sleep apnea, the cause is usually associated with a serious illness. Particularly if the illness affects the lower brainstem. The brainstem is the part of the brain that controls breathing.

The following conditions may play a role in this type of sleep apnea:

• Brain stem damage caused by, for example, stroke, injury, or encephalitis
• Neurological diseases (e.g. Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, and Lou Gehrig’s disease)
• Degeneration or damage to the cervical spine or base of the skull
• Radiation to the cervical spine area
• Complications from cervical spine surgery

Unlike central sleep apnea, there is no neurological sleep apnea cause for OSA. In the case of obstructive sleep apnea the cause is more mechanical. OSA is the most common type of sleep apnea and caused by a blockage or narrowing of your airways. This blockage or narrowing can occur in the nose, mouth, or throat. In each one of these cases it can lead to OSA.

Some people may have OSA due to bone deformities or enlarged tissues in the nose, mouth, or throat area. This in turn causes a blockage during sleep, as your muscles and tongue relax and possibly add to the existing obstruction. For example, if you have enlarged tonsils they do not cause any problems when you are standing up, sitting or walking around during the day. At night however, they press down onto your airway and this will reduce the airflow to your lungs. This is particularly common in children who suffer from sleep apnea.

One other cause of OSA is obesity. People who carry a lot of extra weight often have fat in the neck area as well, which can compress the tissues around the airways. To illustrate how greatly OSA is influenced by obesity, about 70 percent of OSA patients are obese.

It is important to know the type of sleep apnea you have to figure out the possible cause. If you are overweight and have been diagnosed with OSA, then your symptoms are likely to improve if you achieve a healthier weight.

Sleep apnea can cause complications when left untreated. If you are showing symptoms that point towards sleep apnea, see your doctor for a diagnosis and personalized medical advice.

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