The main types of apnea are obstructive, central, and mixed with obstructive being the most common. All however cause the stopping of breathing constantly during their sleep quite often hundreds of times ranging from seconds to over a minute. Obstructive sleep apnea is caused by a blockage of the airway usually caused by the soft tissue in the rear of the throat collapsing and closes during sleep.
In central sleep apnea or Cheyne-Stokes respiration, the brain's control centers are not functioning correctly during sleep due to incorrect blood levels of carbon dioxide. Due to slow neurological feedback mechanism that monitors the carbon dioxide level and not adjusting timely enough, causes an uneven respiratory rate. The body fluctuates between apnea and hyperpnea (fast breathing). During central apnea as an observer you would see no effort on the physical body to recommence breathing, that is, no chest or body gyrations.
Sleep apnea is a common condition affecting millions of people with the most common causes speculated as being overweight and/or poor fitness. Untreated or undiagnosed sleep apnea can result in increased blood pressure, weight gain, headaches and reduced attention span potentially causing accidents or poor job performance.
Some of the ways people treat sleep apnea are:
- Weight loss through a balanced diet and exercise
- Exercise which focuses on the cardiovascular system
- Avoid alcohol and caffeine before sleeping
- Stopping smoking
- Yoga classes which focus on breathing techniques
