Sleep apnea - breathing interfers in sleep

Sleep apnea describes the repeated short-term cessation of breathing during sleep and not only disturbs our rest at night, but also harms our health and performance during the dayHere you can find out why you experience nighttime breathing pauses and what you can do to get a good night's sleep despite your breathing problems.

Table of contents:

1. What is sleep apnea?
2. What happens with sleep apnea?
3. Causes: How does sleep apnea develop?
4. Symptoms & Consequences of Sleep Apnea
5. Treatment and Help for Sleep Apnea
6. Conclusion

Sleep disorders caused by irregularities and breathing disorders are widespread and not only affect the duration but also the quality of our sleep. More than 100 million people worldwide suffer from so-called sleep apnea and the consequences of the resulting disturbed sleep.

1. What is sleep apnea?

Sleep apnea syndrome is a serious sleep-related breathing disorder and describes the brief cessation of breathing during sleep. This involves repeated, up to several hundred times a night, short pauses in breathing that last from a few seconds to a few minutes and interrupt sleep. Those affected wake up again and again, often without noticing, and suffer from a less than restful sleep. Due to the disturbed breathing, sleep apnea is also usually accompanied by pronounced snoring accompanied by

2. What happens with sleep apnea?

When breathing is healthy, air flows through our nose or the mouth and throat and passes through the upper respiratory tract without any problems. With sleep apnea, however, the airways are so narrowed or blocked that the resistance is too great and breathing is difficult or even impossible.

When breathing stops, the oxygen concentration in the blood drops and the organs and brain are not supplied with enough oxygen. This puts the body under stress and leads to a so-called arousal, a reaction in the central nervous system, whereupon our brain wakes us up to prevent suffocation in our sleep. In this way, the natural sleep structure Interrupted again and again night after night, our sleep no longer brings the much-needed rest.

Snoring vs. Sleep Apnea

Snoring, which is actually harmless at first, occurs when the air we breathe encounters resistance due to a narrowing of the airways and we have to breathe in and out more forcefully. The air then flows through the throat with increased pressure and causes the soft tissue (such as the tongue, soft palate or uvula) to vibrate audibly. If the airways close even further, however, no air can pass through the upper airways and harmful sleep apnea develops.

You can find simple tips to combat annoying breathing noises and snoring at night in this article.

3. Causes: How does sleep apnea develop?

Depending on the exact cause, a distinction is made between obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and central sleep apnea (CSA). Obstructive sleep apnea is the most common type of sleep apnea and occurs when the muscles in the upper airways relax during sleep, narrowing and blocking the throat area. This happens, for example, through natural muscle relaxation at night, but is also promoted by certain risk factors.In addition to age and certain physical characteristics (narrow airways, small lower jaw or large tonsils), these also include previous illnesses, obesity, Smoke or drinking alcohol before bedtime.

The cause of central sleep apnea, however, is not a real blockage of the airways and the resulting interruption of the airflow, but rather a malfunction of the brain. In central sleep apnea, the brain does not send control signals to the respiratory muscles during sleep, so breathing stops and pauses. This form of sleep apnea is less common, however, and only affects about one in ten people with sleep apnea.

4. Symptoms & consequences of sleep apnea

Untreated sleep apnea harms the quality of life and, according to studies, also shortens the general life expectancy. The inadequate oxygen supply and the disruption of the natural sleep architecture lead to severe daytime fatigue, headaches and forgetfulness, concentration problems and mood swings. Due to the disruption of deep sleep, the energy stores in the body and brain cannot be sufficiently replenished, leading to a lack of energy and poor performance.

Frequent awakening from sleep also puts the body under stress and places considerable strain on the cardiovascular and nervous systems. This promotes the development of high blood pressure or diabetes, increases the risk of cardiovascular diseases and strokes and also the risk of accidents is about three times higher than in people with healthy sleep.

Symptoms of sleep apnea at a glance

Physical consequences	Psychological consequences
• Headache • Lack of motivation and energy • Daytime fatigue • Increased risk of strokes & cardiovascular diseases • Higher risk of accidents • high blood pressure • Diabetes	• Difficulty concentrating • Forgetfulness • nervousness • Mood swings up to depression

5. Treatment & Help against Sleep Apnea

In the case of obstructive sleep apnea, the aim of treatment is of course to prevent a narrowing and eventual blockage of the upper airways, so that air can pass through the throat and flow into the lungs without any problems even during sleep. The best method for preventing the pauses in breathing depends fundamentally on the individual cause. In milder cases, it can help to minimize typical risk factors. For example, you can avoid alcohol and smoking, regulate your excess weight and adopt a healthy sleeping position using a suitable pillow In more severe cases, the use of special sleep masks or bite splints has proven to be effective, as they open the airways and allow for free breathing during sleep.

Unlike snoring, sleep apnea is a serious condition. Anyone who suffers from nighttime breathing pauses should therefore always seek medical advice and professional help in order to improve their health and sleep in the long term.

6. Conclusion

• Sleep apnea is a common breathing-related sleep disorder and refers to the repeated occurrence of pauses in breathing during sleep.

• Sleep apnea disrupts sleep, impairs daily performance and has numerous negative health consequences such as an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure or diabetes.

Best regards and see you soon!