Obstructive Sleep Apnea: Who's at Risk and What to Know
Research suggests 1 in 3 adults has OSA.
By Nancy Foldvary, D.O, Contributor Nov. 28, 2018, at 6:00 a.m.
What do snoring, daytime sleepiness and mood changes have in common? They're all signs of obstructive sleep apnea, or OSA – a common but grossly under-recognized sleep disorder.
What Is OSA?
OSA is a potentially serious sleep disorder that causes breathing to stop and start repeatedly, sometimes hundreds of times during the night. Normally, throat muscles hold the airway open, allowing you to breathe during sleep. During an apnea episode the airway collapses, causing the diaphragm and chest wall muscles to work harder to open it. Breathing usually resumes with a loud snore, gasp or body jerk, and you may wake up and feel a sensation of choking. These episodes can interfere with sound sleep and reduce the flow of oxygen to vital organs, contributing to daytime sleepiness, fatigue and depressed mood. But that's not all.
https://health.usnews.com/health-care/for-better/articles/2018-11-28/obstructive-sleep-apnea-whos-at-risk-and-what-to-know
