Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) is a life-threatening health problem that many people do not know about. Snoring isone of the primary signs that you may be suffering from OSA.
OSA is a condition in which you stop breathing while you sleep because your airway becomes blocked. In some people the blockage is caused by the muscles of the throat and mouth relaxing. It can also be caused by a blockage in your nasal passages, too much tissue in the airway, or the structure of your jaw. When you stop breathing your oxygen levels drop, your brain recognizes the danger, and you begin to wake up. You may not wake up entirely, but you wake up enough to adjust and start breathing again, and you fall back asleep. This cycle can happen as few as 5 or as many as 100 times an hour (Mild OSA= 5-15 episodes per hour / Moderate OSA=15-30 episodes per hour/ Severe OSA= over 30 episodes per hour). Many people with OSA are not aware that this is happening at all. It is estimated that 82% of men and 93% of women with sleep apnea have yet to be diagnosed.
