People with sleep apnea have trouble sleeping well, which can affect their mood and make it hard to concentrate. Over time, untreated sleep apnea raises the risk of several long-term health conditions, including high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes and stroke.

Symptoms include snoring, choking sensations, feeling breathless and waking up feeling rested but still tired during the day. The condition is diagnosed through a physical exam, medical history and a sleep study.

Symptoms

If a loved one has loud, disruptive snoring and pauses in breathing during sleep or appears overly tired during the day, talk to their health care provider. This may include a doctor who specializes in treating sleep disorders or an obstructive sleep apnea specialist.

Obstructive sleep apnea is when your airway gets blocked as you breathe. It can occur in all stages of sleep and a person with severe obstructive sleep apnea may wake up 30 times or more per hour, Dr. Dasgupta says. Symptoms include excessive sleepiness, irritability, poor concentration and memory problems and a dry mouth or sore throat.

Central sleep apnea is less common and occurs when your brain can’t signal your muscles to breath. It’s most common in people with neuromuscular diseases such as Lou Gehrig’s disease and stroke. Symptoms include feeling restless at night, waking up with a dry mouth or sore throat and having a sensation of gasping or choking.

Diagnosis

If a GP suspects sleep apnoea, they may refer you to a specialist clinic or ask you to stay in a hospital overnight. You’ll be given devices that monitor things like your heart rate and breathing while you sleep. This will help doctors tell if you have sleep apnoea and how severe it is.

Obstructive sleep apnea is linked to certain medical conditions including obesity, heart disease and diabetes. It also occurs in people who smoke or have a naturally narrow airway, such as those with enlarged tonsils or adenoids. It’s also more common in men or people assigned male at birth. And it’s more likely in those who are over the age of 65.

Central sleep apnea is linked with some medications, particularly narcotics and some anti-depressants. It’s also more common in people with a history of stroke or heart attack, and those who have diabetes or high blood pressure. It can also occur in those who spend a lot of time at high altitudes.

Treatment

If untreated, sleep apnea can cause serious health problems, including heart disease, high blood pressure, stroke and diabetes. It also can lead to drowsiness that affects your job and driving. UPMC sleep medicine experts can diagnose sleep apnea based on your medical and family history, a physical exam and a test called a polysomnogram (sleep study).

Treatment depends on the type of sleep apnea you have. Lifestyle changes, mouthpieces and surgery can treat obstructive sleep apnea. Medications like solriamfetol (Sunosi) can help with central sleep apnea. And for people who can’t use CPAP, an upper airway stimulation device such as Inspire can help.

The first step is to make healthy lifestyle changes, such as losing weight, quitting smoking, changing your sleeping position and reducing alcohol intake. You should also avoid over-the-counter nasal sprays and medications, as these can numb the nerves that control your breathing. If these don’t work, your doctor may recommend a breathing or oral device, bariatric surgery or a newer surgical technique called radiofrequency tissue reduction.

Prevention

If your doctor suspects that you have sleep apnea, they may refer you to a specialist in sleep disorders. They might ask you to do home testing, or they might want you to visit a sleep center to have an in-person examination and a sleep study.

The most common type of sleep apnea involves your upper airway becoming narrow or blocked, reducing or stopping airflow. This is called obstructive sleep apnea. Your risk for this kind of apnea is increased by being overweight, being male, having a family history, having small airways, or having enlarged tonsils or adenoids. Age can also raise your risk for obstructive sleep apnea, with the risk increasing over the 60s and 70s.

Other symptoms of obstructive sleep apnea include loud snoring, choking or gasping, and waking up with a headache. Some people with this condition also have a dry mouth or sore throat, and their heart rate rises while they’re sleeping.