The best nights of sleep happen when you can breathe easily. But for millions of Americans, breathing stutters and stops as they sleep, causing the body to jolt awake again and maybe even gasp for air. Sleep apnea doesn’t just interrupt rest, it can knock your body off balance in some sneaky ways.
It’s hard to function when you aren’t getting good sleep. As many as one in three Americans struggles with sleeping because of a sleep disorder—and many don’t know they have it.
Obstructive sleep apnea is when the muscles of the throat relax too much, narrowing the airway and cutting off airflow. Think of it like a kinked garden hose. Each time airflow stops, oxygen levels drop and the body jolts awake just enough to reopen the airway. That cycle can happen dozens of times an hour.
“A big indicator is someone feels like they’re physically waking up at night and catching their breath,” according to Dr. Julia Pfaff, a board-certified otolaryngologist head and neck surgeon with Florida Medical Clinic Orlando Health.
Weight can play a role, since excess tissue around the neck can compress the airway. Other factors include a narrow jawline, enlarged tonsils, nasal congestion, alcohol use, smoking and even sleeping on your back. Genetics can also play a role. If your mom or dad snores heavily or was ever diagnosed with sleep apnea, your odds rise. Finally, men are more likely to be affected, though the risk rises for women after menopause.
What makes sleep apnea truly concerning isn’t just missing out on rest. Lots of micro-awakenings can be associated with surges in blood pressure, straining the heart. Studies link untreated sleep apnea to hypertension, irregular heart rhythms, heart failure and stroke. The condition is also linked to a higher risk of type 2 diabetes and other disorders.
“Sleep apnea has multiple effects on a person’s health, including the cardiovascular and neurological systems,” Pfaff explains. “It can affect their mood and their psychological well-being. It can also affect their overall energy levels and relationships with their partners.”
Treatment often starts with a device called a CPAP machine, a high-tech mask that delivers steady air pressure by keeping your airway open. Other options include oral appliances (custom dental devices that reposition the jaw and tongue), surgery to enlarge the airway and implanted nerve-stimulation devices such as hypoglossal nerve stimulators.
There are even implantable devices for the rarer form of sleep apnea called central sleep apnea. These devices stimulate the breathing muscle for patients who need that specialized treatment so they can address their nighttime breathing problems, according to Dr. Nicholas Kotch, cardiac electrophysiologist with Orlando Health Bayfront Hospital in St. Petersburg.
Some people also find relief through sleeping on their side rather than their back, maintaining a healthy weight through diet and exercise, avoiding alcohol in the hours before bed and quitting smoking.
If you have even a slight suspicion that you may suffer from reduced airflow while sleeping, it’s worth getting checked out.
