Types of sleep apnea

The Greek word “apnea” literally means “without breath.” There are three types of sleep apnea: obstructive, central, and mixed. Of the three, obstructive sleep apnea, often called OSA for short, is the most common.

Central sleep apnea occurs because your brain doesn’t send proper signals to the muscles that control your breathing. This condition is different from obstructive sleep apnea, in which you can’t breathe normally because of upper airway obstruction. Central sleep apnea is less common than obstructive sleep apnea.

Key Takeaways. Two main types of sleep apnea include obstructive sleep apnea (most common) and central sleep apnea. OSA is where your upper airway gets partially or completely blocked while you sleep. Central sleep apnea (CSA), cessation of respiratory drive results in a lack of respiratory movements.

Causes of Obstructive Sleep Apnea

In adults, the most common cause of obstructive sleep apnea is excess weight and obesity, which is associated with the soft tissue of the mouth and throat. During sleep, when throat and tongue muscles are more relaxed, this soft tissue can cause the airway to become blocked.

High-Fat Dairy Items

Just like bananas, unfortunately dairy products with a high fat content can increase your body’s mucus production. Also, weight gain is a leading risk factor of sleep apnea, which can be caused by eating too much high-fat dairy.

At-home tests don’t reliably detect all cases of sleep apnea. This can be potentially dangerous if you have a high-risk job or another health condition. May lead to an in-lab sleep study. Whether your results are positive or negative, your doctor might still suggest an in-lab sleep test.

Endurimed CPAP Pillow

This is a machine that helps a person with sleep apnea to breathe. The Endurimed CPAP pillow contains contours allowing people to sleep comfortably in their CPAP mask. It also provides a large and small size to adapt to the size of the mask.

These devices, which must be fitted by a dentist or orthodontist, and worn in the mouth at night include: Mandibular advancement device (MAD). The most widely used mouth device for sleep apnea, MADs look much like a mouth guard used in sports.

Side sleeping is the preferred position for helping calm your sleep apnea. Sleeping on your right side reduces snoring and encourages blood flow.

Hypnic Headaches

Some patients report symptoms similar to a migraine, such as: Light sensitivity. Sound sensitivity. Nausea.

Morning headache is considered to be a symptom of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS). Despite not being as common as excessive daytime sleepiness or unrefreshing sleep, it can similarly impair everyday activities.

A migraine is typically on one side of the head, while a sleep apnea-induced headache may affect both sides. Migraines often have additional symptoms, such as visual impairment, light sensitivity, and nausea. Sleep apnea headaches may occur more frequently than migraines.

Tension headaches can occur due to stress, tight muscles, or fatigue. People may experience tension headaches at night due to tension building up throughout the day. Symptoms of a tension headache include: a dull ache or squeezing sensation on both sides of the head.

In the early morning hours, your body’s level of internal pain reduction may be lowered. Additionally, your body may make more adrenalin during this time, resulting in migraine headaches. A lack of quality sleep or a sleep disorder may also result in morning headaches.

Conditions that might cause nonprimary chronic daily headaches include: Inflammation or other problems with the blood vessels in and around the brain, including stroke. Infections, such as meningitis. Intracranial pressure that’s either too high or too low.