What is O.S.A.?

NORMAL  Air flows freely   to the lungs.	SNORING  Air flow is  partially blocked.
SLEEP APNEA  Air flow  completely blocked.	CPAP  Keeps the air  passage open.

People with a form of sleep disordered breathing literally stop breathing repeatedly throughout the night.  As a person with Obstructive Sleep Apnea falls asleep, muscles in the upper airway relax to a point where the airway becomes obstructed. This causes breathing to stop which eventually awakens the sleeper.  The arousal from sleep usually lasts only a few seconds, but brief arousals disrupt continuous sleep and prevent the person from reaching the deep stages of slumber. This will often last for a minute or longer and happens as often as hundreds of times during a single night.

Once normal breathing is restored, the person falls asleep only to repeat the cycle throughout the night.

Risk factors
• Excessive weight gain
• Being age 40 or older
• Male gender
• A receding chin or small jaw
• Enlarged tonsils
• Use of alcohol before bedtime
• Smoking
• Nasal congestion
• Large neck (17” or more for males, 16” or more for females)

Symptoms
• Excessive daytime sleepiness
• Waking up not feeling refreshed
• Personality changes
• Decreased memory
• Depression
• Loud snoring
• Morning headaches

Diagnosis
The primary method for diagnosing OSA is to undergo a sleep study.  A sleep technician will record nighttime breathing, brain activity, sleep stages, blood oxygen levels and physical activity.  Obstructive sleep apnea is diagnosed if the patient stops breathing five or more times per hour.  If a patient is diagnosed with OSA, a CPAP machine (link to CPAP section) may be prescribed.