Risk Factors and Causes of Snoring and Sleep Apnea Posted By : Michael G Thompson

For the majority of people, the most peaceful and restorative time of the day is supposedly when we sleep. Unfortunately this is not true for those that suffer from obstructive sleep apnea. Their apneic events, which occur when there are breath pauses, can wake them up hundreds of time a night, disrupting what should be a continuous night's sleep. Not all people are aware of the reasons why this disorder occurs, and there are several reasons for it, which makes it all the harder for sufferers to get the correct medical attention to treat the problem. Treatment is very necessary, but it starts with understanding the risk factors and causes of obstructive sleep apnea.



Causes



- Problems in the airway. Obstructive sleep apnea results from an obstruction in the airways which is caused by certain problems related to the airway. These can include the upper and lower jaws, tonsils, soft palate, tongue, and throat muscles.



Over-relaxed throat muscles and tongue in some cases can cause the problem. This because when a person normally sleeps their muscles will relax, but if suffering from the condition the throat muscles and tongue relax more than normal, resulting in a narrowing of the airway, which causes apneic events.



Enlarged or collapsed palate and tonsils can also cause the problem.



- Structural abnormalities. If a person suffers from anatomical abnormalities there is a greater possibility that they will experience obstructive sleep apnea. For example, the size of the airway may be affected by the shape of the head and neck. A thicker neck may signify a narrower airway and a large tongue and enlarged tonsils may also have a detrimental effect on the passage of air. There are also structural abnormalities in the jaw, nose, and mouth that appear in people with craniofacial syndromes, which makes them more likely to suffer from the disorder. Roughly 50% of those with Down Syndrome, for example, experience obstructive sleep apnea largely due to decreased muscle tone, a comparatively large tongue, and narrower nasopharynx.



- Obesity. It has been shown in studies that obesity plays an important part in the development of obstructive sleep apnea because fatty cells have a tendency to gather together and clog the tissues of the throat, and by so doing cause the airway to narrow. It has been proven that obese people suffering with sleep apnea, tend to have more pressure on their airway which results in yet more obstruction.



Risk Factors



- Being Male. Unfortunately for the male population, the disorder is more likely to occur amongst men although women can be predisposed after menopause. Statistically it has been shown that one out of fifty middle-aged women, compared to one out of 25 middle-aged men suffer from the problem.



- Old age. Although children and adolescents may have the disorder, those over the age of 65 are between two or three time more likely to develop it.



- Use of alcohol, sedatives, and cigarettes. Alcohol and sedatives relax the muscles and by so doing narrow the airway. As smoking tends to cause inflammation in the upper airways and again narrows the airways, smokers are three time more likely to suffer from the disorder.



- Family history. Sleep apnea tends to run in the family. Therefore those with family members suffering from the condition should be more careful to avoid the risks.



- Snoring. Although snoring can indicate the existence of obstructive sleep apnea, chronic snoring in some cases is said to cause apneic events. The frequent vibration caused by snoring can cause the soft palate to stretch which in turn can lead to an increased possibility of it collapsing. A person that snores however should not be automatically considered as a candidate for the disorder, as snoring should not be regarded as a sole factor, although it should be considered alongside other risk factors.

Everyone needs a good night's sleep to enable us to carry on the following day. If you think you may be suffering from Sleep Apnea you owe it to yourself and those around you to look into ways of dealing with the condition. I would advise you to checkout the information. You have nothing to lose except another sleepless night, so check it out.