What Causes Sleep Apnea

There are two main categories that the causes fall into:

Obstructive: Obstructions or blockages may be due to obesity, adenoids and large tonsils (particularly common in children), irregular physical structure (larger tongue or uvula or narrow airways) or weak throat muscles. Contributing factors to this disorder can be asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), allergies, excessive stress and a constricted sleeping position.

Central: This may be due to neurological disorders, strokes, neurodegenerative diseases, surgical complications or even radiotherapy.

The causes of sleep apnea are many. Some are listed below.

- Whilst you are sleeping the throat muscles and tongue relax more than normal, and the fleshy tissue at the back of ones throat called the uvula also relaxes. This can sometimes cause an obstruction which restricts the passage of air causing the sufferer to stop breathing. Due to the lack of oxygen they wake up but then drift back to sleep straight away. Normally the sufferer is totally unaware of the problem although it can happen throughout the night. It can however affect how they feel during the day.

- An obstruction to the passage of air through the nose and throat due to large tonsils and adenoids. In Children this is the most common cause of sleep apnea.

- Alcohol and drugs can in susceptible people cause the muscles of their breathing system to relax and in so doing cause the sleeping condition.

- Damage to the lung's surfaces through smoking is another risk factor. Regrettably passive smokers are also put at risk.

- Due to nasal congestion that is associated with allergies, the chances of having an apnoeic episode is increased.

- It is thought in many quarters that various diseases of the thyroid glands contribute to the sleep disorder.

- Snoring, although it is not a direct indication it has been implicated. People who snore regularly inhale a lot of air whilst snoring which causes the soft tissue in the throat to lengthen. This stretching can over time cause an interference to the movement of air.

- Age is another important cause. As one gets older you lose some amount of muscle mass and its elasticity. This can cause the airway to become blocked which in turn leads to congestion and breathing problems.

- Lack of exercise and obesity seem to be interlinked. When one does not exercise enough, you are more likely to gain weight which will in turn lead to a greater probability of suffering from the disorder.

- Weight gain makes one more prone to sleep apnea. More deposits of fatty tissues gather in ones throat when one gains weight, causing the airways to narrow. This can cause the sufferer to snore more loudly and makes them more prone to waking up. Sleep apnea affects the levels of hormones in the body. The increase in the desire for food is brought about by the interaction of the reduced level of Leptin which suppresses appetite and the increased level of Grehlin which increases the body's craving to eat. As a result the sufferer is drawn into a vicious cycle causing even more weight to be put on.

by: Michael G Thompson

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