What causes sleep apnea?
Sleep apnea is a problem that affects many people at some point in there lives. It is a very uncomfortable condition, and potentially scary if a person is unsure what is happening to them. It occurs when a person wakes up suddenly during the night and feels as though their breathing is restricted, as air cannot get into one’s lungs. Either your throat will remain open making inhalation difficult, or one’s throat can relax temporarily causing you to wake up without breath. It most usually occurs when someone is sleeping in a position on their back, but has been known to occur whilst people sleep in various other positions too.
There are various causes for sleep apnea. Firstly, one’s tongue and throat muscles may collapse more than usual, one’s tongue can also slip backwards into one’s throat which creates further difficulty breathing, causing one to wake suddenly gasping for air.
Another cause may be one’s tonsils are too large. Uvulopalatopharryngoplasty is the name of the surgery that fully cures this, but one has to be recommended and referred by a doctor if this is the case. One’s Uvula is another section in one’s mouth which can be removed so as to not cover one’s bronchial tubes during sleep. Being overweight can further contribute to being at risk of having sleep apnea. There may be fatty deposits at the back of one’s mouth and throat obstructing breathing.
The size of one’s skull and neck bones can apply pressure on one’s body, and force the muscles over one’s throat to close. The solution to this cause is to have an airway device prescribed by your doctor. This air mask allows air into your throat and lungs. However before receiving any treatment of diagnosing yourself, consult a doctor.