What are the leading causes of Obstructive Sleep Apnea?

1. What are the leading causes of Obstructive Sleep Apnea? Often, there are a lot of sleepless nights due to excessive snoring along with a number of other sleep related problems. Sleep apnea may be one of the leading causes behind loss of sleep and other problems related to lack of sleep such as irritation, loss of weight etc. Sleep apnea is a medical problem which leads to excessive snoring and loss of breath for brief intervals which if left untreated, may even become fatal. It is a sleep disorder caused by the collapse of muscles and the soft tissue in the back of your throat while sleeping. While over time, some loosening of these muscles is quite normal, it is due to a number of reasons all amounting to a bad lifestyle that it completely collapses. What happens then is that due to collapse of these muscles in some people while sleeping, it triggers the brain to cut off the blood supply as a result of which the brain pulls the individual out of his/her deep sleep. This is the reason why apnea patients lose their breath for a short period and then wake up with a jolt. The causes of sleep apnea may mostly be due to an ill-kept lifestyle and could be easily prevented. If you are a patient, you

2. can understand these causes and cure them, in case you are yet to develop the problem, prevent these and stay healthy. Obesity- One of the leading problems due to which sleep apnea may be developed in an individual is because of obesity. Overweight men and women may gain a layer of fat around their necks and throats which leads to the person’s airway being obstructed and may be one of the causes of sleep apnea. Unusually thick neck structure- Another reason for apnea may be because the tissues or the fibrous structure inside the neck may be unusually thick. Further, factors such as narrow jaws, a thicker tongue, flared tonsils etc. may also be a lead contributor.

3. Alcohol- One of the reasons for the development or prolonging of diseases such as obstructive sleep apnea may be the heavy consumption or intake of alcohol. It gets worse if you have a habit of alcohol intake right before bed. These habits may also lead to gaining weight which like we discussed earlier, may lead to the collapse of the throat muscles. Gender- While sleep apnea cases occur both in men and women; it is more common as per studies in males. While this may not be because of gender specific hormones, it could be because of the difference in fat distribution along the body.

4. Age- It is also true that people of a certain age are more prone to developing sleep apnea. Amongst the many causes of sleep apnea, age may be one of the leading factors after lifestyle changes. Individuals who are middle aged and above would have a battered and unhealthy type of living which leads to OSA. Nasal deformations- Another factor, which is more naturally occurring than the ones mentioned above is perhaps something like a deviated septum ultimately leading to an obstructed airway. Smoking- Smoking which is the father of all nasal and lung related medical issues may be another one of the leading causes. The issue is more visible with smokers.

5. Menopause- Women may also develop sleep apnea after they go through menopause due to the change in hormones which start affecting the body. This may lead to throat muscles relaxing and collapsing. Genetic reasons- Though we had already talked about this in the beginning, it is significant that we know OSA is more common in individuals who have a family history of this sleep disorder. There are a number of effective medicines which may prevent or cure sleep apnea, like Asonor, a nasal spray. Get Some more information about What are the leading causes of Obstructive Sleep Apnea? at: http://asonor.com/ ________________________________________________________________________ Address: DTU Science Park, Agern Allé 3, Horsholm Copenhagen Area-2970, Denmark