Sleep Apnea

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 Sleep apnea is a common sleep disorder that affects approximately 22 million Americans. If left untreated, sleep apnea can lead to serious and life-threatening health problems, including:

• High blood pressure
• Heart disease
• Atrial fibrillation/Irregular heart rhythms
• Stroke
• Type 2 diabetes
• Depression
• Hormone imbalances
• Weight gain and difficulty losing weight

People who suffer from sleep apnea are accident prone because of the persistent drowsiness they feel due to lack of sleep. Many traffic accidents and accidents with heavy machinery are caused by people with sleep apnea.

There are different kinds of sleep apnea: 

1. Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) is caused by a blockage of the airway, usually when the tongue collapses against the soft palate and the soft palate collapses against the back of the throat during sleep, and the airway is closed. Obesity is linked to OSA due to fatty tissue causing obstruction of the airway in addition to extra fat in the chest and abdomen.

2. Central Sleep Apnea is less common than Obstructive Sleep Apnea; it causes your breathing to stop and start while sleeping and occurs when the brain does not transmit signals to the breathing muscles. 

3. Complex Sleep Apnea is a combination of Obstructive Sleep Apnea and Central Sleep Apnea. There can be multiple underlying causes. 

People most at risk for developing Obstructive Sleep Apnea are: 

1. Overweight: Fat deposits around your upper airway can obstruct your breathing. 

2. Male with a neck size of 17 inches or more: Men are two to three times more likely to have sleep apnea than women. 

3. Females with a neck size of 16 inches or more. 

4. Smokers: Smoking can increase the amount of inflammation and fluid retention in the upper airway, thereby constricting one’s ability to breathe freely. 

5. Males over the age of 40.

6. Females over the age of 50.

7. Other OSA risk factors include:  a. Family history of sleep apnea. b. Use of alcohol, sedatives or tranquilizers that relax the muscles in your throat and can worsen obstructive sleep apnea. c. Nasal congestion.

If you have difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep, or are tired when you wake up we would love to consult with you. Dr. Mathur can evaluate and perform the appropriate testing and formulate a comprehensive treatment plan with you.