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Studies in twins have shown that sleep apnea can be inherited. Some of the gene related to sleep apnea are associated with the structural development of the face and skull and with how the brain controls sleep and breathing during sleep. Some genes are also associated with obesity and inflammation. In the United States, sleep apnea is more common among blacks, Hispanics, and Native Americans than among whites. To screen for sleep apnea, your doctor will review your medical history and symptoms.
To prevent sleep apnea, your doctor may recommend healthy lifestyle changes. To screen for sleep apnea or other sleep disorders, your doctor may ask you about common signs and symptoms of this condition, such as how sleepy you feel during the day or when driving, and whether you or your partner has noticed that you snore, stop breathing, or gasp during your sleep.
Your doctor may ask questions to assess your risk for developing this condition and take your physical measurements. Your doctor will also want to see whether you have any complications of undiagnosed sleep apnea, such as high blood pressure that is difficult to control. If the screening suggests a sleep breathing disorder, you may get a referral to a sleep specialist to help confirm a diagnosis.
If you are concerned about having risk factors for developing sleep apnea, ask your doctor to recommend healthy lifestyle changes, including eating a heart-healthy diet , aiming for a healthy weight , quitting smoking , and limiting alcohol intake. Your doctor may recommend that you sleep on your side and adopt healthy sleep habits such as getting the recommended amount of sleep. Common sleep apnea signs and symptoms are snoring or gasping during sleep; reduced or absent breathing, called apnea events; and sleepiness.
Undiagnosed or untreated sleep apnea prevents restful sleep and can cause complications that may affect many parts of your body. Common signs of sleep apnea:.
Common symptoms of sleep apnea:. Did you know that sleep apnea symptoms may be different for women and children compared with men? Women who have sleep apnea more often report headache, fatigue, depression, anxiety, insomnia, and sleep disruption.
Children may experience bedwetting, asthma exacerbations, hyperactivity, and learning and academic performance issues. This increases your blood pressure and heart rate and wakes you from sleep so that your upper airway can open. These cycles of decreased and increased blood oxygen levels can cause inflammation that may contribute to atherosclerosis, the buildup of plaque in blood vessels, which can increase the risk of heart attack or stroke. Chronic inflammation can also damage the pancreas and lead to type 2 diabetes.
Your doctor may diagnose sleep apnea based on your medical history, a physical exam, and results from a sleep study. Before diagnosing you with sleep apnea, your doctor will rule out other medical reasons or conditions that may be causing your signs and symptoms. During the physical exam, your doctor will look for signs of other conditions that can increase your risk for sleep apnea, such as obesity, large tonsils, narrowing of the upper airway, or a large neck circumference.
A neck circumference greater than 17 inches for men or 16 inches for women is considered large. Your doctor will check your lungs, heart, and neurological systems to see whether you have any common complications of sleep apnea. To diagnose sleep apnea or another sleep disorder, your doctor may refer you to a sleep specialist or a center for a sleep study. Sleep studies can be done in a special center or at home. Studies at a sleep center can:. Your doctor may be able to diagnose mild, moderate, or severe sleep apnea based on the number of sleep apnea events you have in an hour during the sleep study.
Visit Sleep Studies for more information. Did you know that sleep studies can help determine which type of sleep apnea you have? Sleep studies can monitor the movement of your muscles and help determine breathing patterns and whether you have obstructive or central sleep apnea. Sleep studies of patients with obstructive sleep apnea often show an increase in breathing muscle activity when muscles try to open an obstructed upper airway.
In contrast, sleep studies of patients with central sleep apnea tend to show decreased activity in chest muscles, which can lead to periods of slowed or no breathing. Your doctor may order the following tests to help rule out other medical conditions that can cause sleep apnea:. Your doctor will also want to know whether you are using medicines, such as opioids, that could be affecting your sleep or causing breathing symptoms of sleep apnea.
Your doctor may want to know whether you have traveled recently to altitudes greater than 6, feet, because these low-oxygen environments can cause symptoms of sleep apnea for a few weeks after traveling. If you are diagnosed with sleep apnea, your doctor may make recommendations to help you maintain an open airway during sleep.
These could include healthy lifestyle changes or a breathing device such as a positive airway pressure PAP machine, mouthpiece, or implant. Talk to your doctor. Depending on the type and severity of your sleep apnea and your needs and preferences, other treatments may be possible. To help control or treat your sleep apnea, your doctor may recommend that you adopt lifelong healthy lifestyle changes.
A breathing device, such as a CPAP machine, is the most commonly recommended treatment for patients with sleep apnea. If your doctor prescribes a CPAP or other breathing device, be sure to continue your doctor-recommended healthy lifestyle changes. Read Living With to learn more about properly caring for your breathing device. Oral devices, also called oral appliances, are custom-fit devices that you typically wear while you sleep.
There are two types of oral devices that work differently to open the upper airway while you sleep. Some hybrid devices have features of both types. A new type of oral device was recently approved by the FDA for use while awake. The device delivers electrical muscle stimulation through a removable mouthpiece that sits around the tongue. You wear the mouthpiece once a day for 20 minutes at a time, for 6 weeks.
The device stimulates the tongue muscle while awake to help prevent the tongue from collapsing backward and obstructing the airway during sleep. Your doctor will recommend that you visit a dentist who will custom-make an appliance for you, make sure that it is comfortable, and teach you how to use it to get the best results.
Implants can benefit some people with sleep apnea. Some devices treat both obstructive and central sleep apnea. You must have surgery to place an implant in your body. The Food and Drug Administration has approved one implant as a treatment for sleep apnea. The device senses breathing patterns and delivers mild stimulation to certain muscles that open the airways during sleep. More research is needed to determine how effective the implant is in treating central sleep apnea.
A nerve stimulator can also treat sleep apnea. This treatment also involves surgery. A surgeon will insert a stimulator for the hypoglossal nerve, which controls tongue movement. Increasing stimulation of this nerve helps position the tongue to keep the upper airway open. Children and adults with sleep apnea may benefit from therapy for mouth and facial muscles, known as orofacial therapy. This therapy helps improve tongue positioning and strengthen muscles that control the lips, tongue, soft palate, lateral pharyngeal wall, and face.
You may need surgery if you have severe obstructive sleep apnea that does not respond to breathing devices such as a CPAP machine, or that is caused by visible obstruction to the upper airway, perhaps due to large tonsils.
Possible surgical procedures include:. If surgery is considered as a possible treatment, talk to your doctor about the different types of surgical procedures, the risks and benefits of the procedures, potential discomfort, and the recovery time you will need after surgery. If you have been diagnosed with sleep apnea, it is important that you adopt and maintain healthy lifestyle habits and use your prescribed treatment.
Read more about how to use and care for your breathing device or mouthpiece, how your doctor may monitor whether your treatment is working, and when you may need a repeat sleep study. Learn other tips to keep you safe if you have sleep apnea. It is important that you properly use and care for your prescribed breathing device or mouthpiece.
If your doctor prescribed a breathing device or CPAP machine:. You should visit your doctor to monitor your response to treatment and see whether you have any complications that, if left untreated, can be life-threatening.
Your doctor may do any of the following to monitor your condition. Sometimes, repeat sleep studies are necessary. Your doctor may have you repeat a sleep study to monitor your response to the treatment, especially if your sleep symptoms continue, if you are using a mouthpiece, if your weight changes significantly, or if your employer requires these tests. Side effects of CPAP treatment may include congestion, runny nose, dry mouth, dry eyes, or nosebleeds.
If you experience stomach discomfort or bloating, you should stop using your CPAP machine and contact your doctor. Sleep apnea can increase your risks of complications if you are having surgery, and it can affect your ability to drive.
We are committed to advancing science and translating discoveries into clinical practice to promote the prevention and treatment of heart, lung, blood, and sleep disorders, including sleep apnea.
Learn about the current and future NHLBI efforts to improve health through research and scientific discovery. Learn about the following ways the NHLBI continues to translate current research into improved health for people with sleep apnea. Learn about some of our pioneering research contributions that have improved clinical care.
In support of our mission , we are committed to advancing sleep apnea research in part through the following ways:. We lead or sponsor many studies relevant to sleep apnea. See whether you or someone you know is eligible to participate in our clinical trials. Learn more about participating in a clinical trial. View all trials from ClinicalTrials. After reading our Sleep Apnea Health Topic, you may be interested in additional information found in the following resources.
The Research Conference on Sleep and the Health of Women is intended to sound a wakeup call throughout society Sleep Apnea. Sleep apnea is a common condition in the United States. It can occur when the upper airway becomes blocked repeatedly during sleep, reducing or completely stopping airflow.
This is known as obstructive sleep apnea. If the brain does not send the signals needed to breathe, the condition may be called central sleep apnea.
Healthcare providers use sleep studies to diagnose sleep apnea. Notify me of new posts by email. How to Get Rid of Sleep Apnea. Some causes of sleep apnea include: Weight — Being overweight or obese is a common cause. The extra tissue in the upper airway and around the neck can obstruct your airway, keeping you from breathing during sleep. Sleep Position — Some people only have periods of apnea while sleeping on their backs known as positional obstructive sleep apnea.
Anatomy — Sometimes your anatomy can be the cause of your sleep apnea. This could be from large tonsils that narrow the upper airway or a deviated septum, for example.
Alcohol — Alcohol can relax muscles and tissues that can block the airway. Smoking — Smoking can cause inflammation in the airway, contributing to sleep apnea. Medication — Certain medications such as opioids may also play a role in causing sleep apnea.
CPAP will not cure sleep apnea but can be an effective treatment if used properly. Lose Weight Obesity is one of the largest risk factors of obstructive sleep apnea. Avoid Alcohol Alcohol can make apneic episodes worse and also increase your risk of sleep apnea by 25 percent. Change Your Sleep Position Many people only experience periods of apnea while lying on their backs.
Get Surgery Having surgery is often a last resort for how to cure sleep apnea. Quit Smoking Smoking increases inflammation and swelling in the upper airway, making symptoms of sleep apnea worse. Wear a Mouthpiece Another treatment possible is a mouthpiece you can wear while you sleep. There two different types of mouthpieces: Tongue stabilizing devices TSD are mouthpieces that stabilize the tongue, keeping it from falling back into the airway during sleep.
No content on this site, regardless of date, should ever be used as a substitute for direct medical advice from your doctor or other qualified clinician. When you wake up in the morning, are you refreshed and ready to go, or groggy and grumpy? For many people, the second scenario is all too common. Improving Sleep: A guide to a good night's rest describes the latest in sleep research, including information about the numerous health conditions and medications that can interfere with normal sleep, as well as prescription and over-the-counter medications used to treat sleep disorders.
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Recent Blog Articles. Cancer survivors' sleep is affected long after treatment. What to do when elective surgery is postponed. What happened to trusting medical experts? Stuttering in children: How parents can help. Evoking calm: Practicing mindfulness in daily life helps. Finding balance: 3 simple exercises to steady your steps. How is OSA diagnosed? What about mild sleep apnea?
Treatments may be trial and error until you and your doctor get it right When sleep apnea is mild, treatment recommendations are less clear-cut, and should be determined based on the severity of your symptoms, your preferences, and other co-occurring health problems.
Take-home suggestions Conservative approaches for mild OSA: Maximize a side sleeping position; try not to sleep on your back.
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