Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA)

According to the American Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine (AADSM), more than 180 million people suffer from Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA). This common, but very serious sleep disorder is extremely under diagnosed as it is believed that over 90% of people in the United States with OSA do not even know that they have it. The quality and quantity of life for someone suffering from OSA can be deeply affected. OSA patients are much more likely to suffer from strokes, heart attacks, congestive heart failure, hypertension, diabetes, coronary artery disease, and the list goes on and on. In some patients, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is concomitant with OSA. In addition, OSA can adversely impact one’s financial, family, and social life.

Sleep Apnea

OSA occurs during sleep when the back of the throat completely or partially collapses and inhibits the airway, preventing air from getting into the lungs. At this point, the brain tells one to wake up or one will die from suffocation. Most people will awaken by choking, snorting, gasping, clenching and grinding teeth and/or rolling over.

  • Mild OSA is defined as having 5-15 of these episodes an hour
  • Moderate OSA is having 15-30 episodes an hour
  • Severe OSA is classified as having over 30 episodes in an hour

Each of these episodes is activated by the sympathetic nervous system (which activates the fight or flight responses). This can be thought of as a scare response as evidenced by increased blood pressure and pulse during these events. OSA patients are usually not aware of having these episodes. People may experience hundreds of these apnea episodes per night and are not even aware of it! Since the body needs good, constant sleep, as well as steady oxygenation, to recharge and refuel, it is not surprising that a person who wakes up hundreds of times a night would feel ill, tired and/or depressed the following day.

Interestingly, children who have OSA tend to be hyper-excitable and may exhibit Attention Deficit and Hyper-reactivity Disorder (ADHD) symptoms. OSA patients who drink alcohol close to bedtime can snore more loudly because alcohol suppresses the brain’s ability to wake up. You may have even heard stories of someone dying in their sleep after consuming alcohol the night before.

Read More