Sleep-Related Breathing Disorders (SRBDs) – What are they?

Sleep-related breathing disorders are categorized as a group of disorders that affect our breathing while we sleep, they disrupt our normal breathing patterns while we sleep and can range from a mild annoyance and disruption to a major health concern. The most common sleep-related breathing disorders are snoring, upper airway obstruction, and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).

Snoring

What is it?

Snoring is the hoarse or harsh sound that occurs when air flowing past relaxed tissues in your throat causes them to vibrate as you breathe. Everyone can snore and may from time to time, but chronic snoring can lead to different health concerns. Medical experts believe the two most common negative health effects linked to snoring are daytime dysfunction and heart disease. However, if your snoring is paired with excessive daytime sleepiness, difficulty concentrating, morning headaches, restless sleep, or gasping or choking at night then this could be a sign of a more serious sleeping disorder called obstructive sleep apnea; which half of the loud snorers suffer from.

What causes it?

There are many factors that can either cause you to snore or are related to snoring. First and foremost the anatomy of your mouth has a lot to do with if you snore and to the degree that you snore. If you have a low and thicker soft palate this can narrow your airway, squeezing airflow through a smaller airway causes more vibrations and the result is snoring. Also, overweight individuals, especially those with more fatty tissue around the neck, are likely to have more narrow airways. Alcohol consumption or consuming muscle relaxers before sleep causes snoring by relaxing the throat muscles and obstructing airflow. Sleep position is a major factor in determining whether one snores or not. Snoring is most frequent and loudest when one sleeps on their back, giving gravity place to affect the throat and further narrow airways.

Common risk factors include: being a man, being overweight, having a narrow airway based on the construction of your mouth, and having a family history of snoring or obstructive sleep apnea. Aging also contributes by progressively leading to the relaxation of throat muscles, limiting airflow, and increasing vibrations.

Possible Solutions

Certain lifestyle changes offer a great solution to your snoring problem. With a few changes you will be off to a fuller more restful sleep, and your sleeping partner will be thanking you.

  • Losing weight, although sometimes easier said than done, is a simple and effective way to reduce and eliminate snoring by lessening the amount of fatty tissue around the throat and clearing up your air passages.
  • Avoiding the consumption of alcohol before or leading up to bedtime can help counteract snoring.
  • Sleeping on your left side as opposed to sleeping on your back can greatly reduce snoring and may get rid of it altogether. Sleeping with a body pillow or taping a tennis ball to your back will encourage you to sleep on your side by offering a more comfortable and snore-less sleeping position.
  • Taking a hot shower before bed, applying a mentholated topical ointment to the inside of your nose, or using nasal strips can help open and clear your airways before sleep and can help combat nighttime snoring.

Why Get Treatment?

Getting treatment is important for both you and your partner’s sake! Snoring throughout every night leads to poor sleep quality which leads to daytime irritability, tiredness, fatigue, lack of concentration, among other wake time dysfunctions. These will apply to you and your partner if they are kept up, or experience disrupted sleep during the night because of sleep inhibiting snoring. Lack of sleep and disrupted sleep due to reoccurring snoring can also lead to cardiac problems and maybe the sign of the more disorders.

Doctors agree that snoring is a very treatable condition using methods such as lifestyle and sleep hygiene changes, dental appliances, and positive airway pressure therapy when necessary. Treatment allows you to get the sleep you need so you can feel refreshed and satisfied with your sleep. Schedule an appointment with your physician, dentist, or one of our Board Certified Sleep Physicians to discuss your Sleep Profile and treatment recommendations for your snoring issues.

Upper Airway Obstruction

What is it?

Upper Airway Obstruction is a sleep-related sleeping disorder similar to OSA, but not as severe. In the case of least alarming to most alarming among snoring and OSA, upper airway obstruction would fall in the middle. It develops when mild snoring worsens, and you begin to experience symptoms of daytime sleepiness and fatigue. If not dealt with upper airway obstruction can lead to insomnia, frequent awakenings throughout the night, and weight gain.

What causes it?

The cause is quite similar to OSA; relaxed fatty tissues in the throat combined with narrowed airways makes breathing more labored and requires greater force to get the appropriate amount of air through the airways, and this causes labored breathing and snoring. Overtime upper airway obstruction can worsen and develop into OSA, a much more serious sleep-related breathing disorder. For this reason, treatment should be considered once you or your sleeping partner become aware that your snoring has progressed and caused daytime sleepiness and fatigue.

Possible Solutions

Treatment for an upper airway obstruction differs from OSA mainly because CPAP is not necessary. For this milder sleeping airway restriction, certain lifestyle and behavior changes are the most appropriate treatment options. These include:

  • Practicing good sleep hygiene
  • Eating a balanced and healthy diet
  • Daily Exercise

In addition to these lifestyle changes certain dental and oral treatments like a special mouthpiece may be recommended to help keep your airways open while you sleep. If you become negligent with your treatment then it may develop into OSA, in which case, you will want to take a sleep test to confirm your diagnosis and speak to a physician about your treatment options.

Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA)

What is it?

Sleep apnea is a sleep disorder characterized by pauses in breathing or instances of shallow breathing while you sleep, called apneas. Each apnea can last anywhere from a few seconds to several minutes and may occur 30+ times each hour. During these pauses, your airway relaxes, and you are unable to receive enough air to your lungs, causing snoring. Typically an apnea is followed by a loud gasp for air as you are trying to catch your breath. People with the disorder tend to suffer from fatigue and daytime sleepiness due to the disruption of deep sleep throughout the night.

One of the most common and easily identified signs of sleep apnea is loud and ongoing snoring. While asleep, pauses in breathing may occur, sometimes followed by choking or gasping for air – these are called apneas. Frequently, people do not realize they are having these apneas until a partner complains about snoring. These breathing difficulties and irregularities are usually accompanied by other symptoms, including:

  • Excessive daytime sleepiness
  • Awakening with a dry mouth or a sore throat
  • Morning headaches
  • Difficulty staying asleep
  • Irritability

Possible Solutions

CPAP therapy is one of the most common treatment methods technologists, and sleep physicians recommend to those who have sleep apnea. However, there are there are several alternative sleep apnea treatment options available that may be helpful depending on your specific needs.

The problem goes well beyond simply not getting a good night’s sleep. Without proper diagnosis and treatment, obstructive sleep apnea can have some serious implications. It can also increase the risk of stroke, obesity, depression, diabetes, and high blood pressure.

Why get treatment?

If you or your sleeping partner have noticed your snoring, it is important that you keep an eye on it. Once you notice it is worsening and the acquisition of other symptoms related to upper airway obstruction or OSA it is time to take action in treating these sleep-related breathing disorders before your health and quality of life begin to deteriorate. Luckily we at Vitalisticscan help. Whether you are experiencing snoring and are curious if it could be a more serious issue or are recognizing that you have many of the signs and symptoms of OSA, are fairly certain you may have OSA, and are ready to seek a diagnosis and treatment options, we have a Sleep Wellness package that is most beneficial for your situation. Explore your options and take the first step in determining your sleeping disorder and getting back the restful sleep you deserve.

Always seek the advice of a physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website. This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice; the Content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.