When you have obstructive sleep apnea, your throat collapses during sleep, blocking the airway and preventing air from getting to the lungs. Generally, your throat muscles keep the throat and airway open.
Causes and risk factors of sleep apnea:
- Large tonsils or adenoids or other anatomical differences. (A deviated septum, enlarged tongue, or receding chin can also create difficulties breathing during sleep)
- Being overweight or obese (although almost 50% of people with sleep apnea are not obese)
- Throat muscles and tongue relax more than normal during sleep. (This can be due to alcohol or sedative use before bedtime, but not necessarily)
- Shape of head and neck may create a smaller than normal airway.
- Smoking or exposure to secondhand smoke.
- Family history of sleep apnea – No specific genetic marker for sleep apnea has been discovered, but obstructive sleep apnea seems to run in families. This may be a result of anatomic abnormalities that run in the family
- Nasal congestion, nasal blockages, and nasal irritants.
- Snoring – Snoring can cause the soft palate to lengthen, which in turn can obstruct the airway.
- Other physical conditions, such as immune system abnormalities, severe heartburn or acid reflux and high blood pressure. It isn’t clear whether the conditions are the cause or the result of sleep apnea.
- Other disorders and syndromes – Hypothyroidism, acromegaly, amyloidosis, vocal cord paralysis, post-polio syndrome, neuromuscular disorders, Marfan’s syndrome, and Down Syndrome