What is sleep apnea when your breathing is interrupted repeatedly by a blockage of your airway, usually as you relax during sleep. It can reduce oxygen levels in your blood and can cause heart damage and high blood pressure.

Central sleep apnea, which is less common, occurs when your brain doesn’t send the proper signals to your breathing-related muscles. This can also reduce your oxygen levels and lead to a dangerous arrhythmia, such as atrial fibrillation. This type of apnea is more common in older adults.

Sleep Apnea and TMJ Clinic: Comprehensive Care for a Better Night’s Sleep

The most common type of sleep apnea is obstructive sleep apnea, which occurs when your throat or nasal passages close up during sleep. It can cause you to breathe with short gasps or struggle for breath, leading to feelings of fatigue and irritability during the day. It is associated with higher rates of motor vehicle accidents and work-related injuries.

There are several factors that can increase your risk of obstructive sleep apnea. These include being overweight, having a large neck circumference or inherited facial features like a long, thick tongue and large tonsils, smoking, and taking medications that affect your muscles, including sedatives, antihistamines, and tranquilizers.

Some medical conditions, such as rheumatoid arthritis, enlarged thyroid gland, fibromyalgia, polycystic ovary syndrome, depression, chronic lung diseases like asthma, and congenital or hereditary disorders can also increase your risk for obstructive sleep apnea. Being male and having a family history of obstructive sleep apnea can also make you more likely to have it.