3 Types of Sleep Apnea That You Need To Know

You should consult your doctor to be evaluated for sleep apnea; one of the best recommendations is Liberty Sleep Apnea if you experience chronic fatigue and drowsiness during the day despite getting at least seven or more hours of sleep per night, the amount of sleep recommended for adults by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) in the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine in 2015.

1. First, let’s look at what all types of sleep apnea have in common.

People with sleep apnea have intermittent episodes of pauses in breathing; the Sleep Foundation defines “apnea” as breathing pauses lasting 10 seconds or more. People with apnea experience such apneas regularly while sleeping, causing them to partially wake up multiple times throughout the night as they struggle to breathe. A person suffering from severe sleep apnea may experience these partial arousals from sleep hundreds of times per night.

2. The most common subtype of the condition is obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).

According to the AASM, OSA occurs when the throat muscles in the back of your throat, which naturally relax during sleep, collapse too much to allow for normal breathing.

3. When the brain is involved, central sleep apnea occurs.

It can also be more difficult to diagnose and treat. In contrast to obstructive sleep apnea, which is caused by a mechanical problem that blocks the airway, central sleep apnea occurs when the brain fails to send the correct messages to the muscles that control breathing. While central and obstructive sleep apneas share many symptoms, such as episodes of pauses in breathing, constant awakenings during the night, and extreme sleepiness during the day, the American Sleep Apnea Association notes that central sleep apnea frequently affects people who have underlying illnesses, such as a brain infection or other conditions that affect the brainstem.