1. What is a sleep apnea?
Sleep apnea is a sleep disorder in which there are pauses in breathing. It is mostly associated with snoring.
2. What are different types of sleep apnea?
The different types of sleep apnea are
- Central sleep apnea
- Obstructive sleep apnea
- Complex sleep apnea syndrome
3. What are the causes of sleep apnea?
Obstructive sleep apnea occurs due to relaxation of muscles in the back of throat leading to narrowing of airways. Risk factors include advanced age, obesity, enlarged tonsils, alcoholism. smoking, nasal congestion and family history. Central sleep occurs as a result of inappropriate brain signals to breathing muscles.
4. What are the characteristic symptoms of sleep apnea?
The characteristic symptoms of sleep apnea include
- snoring
- gasping during sleep
- daytime sleepiness
- impaired alertness
- agitation, irritability
5. How is obstructive sleep apnea different from central sleep apnea?
Obstructive sleep apnea occurs due to relaxation of muscles in the back of throat leading to narrowing of airways. Central sleep occurs as a result of inappropriate brain signals to breathing muscles.