What Is Sleep Apnea? Types, Symptoms, Risk Factors & Treatments

01What Is Sleep Apnea? Types, Symptoms, Risk Factors & Treatments

Sleep apnea is a serious sleep disorder in which breathing repeatedly stops and starts throughout the night. Most people who have it don't know — because it happens while they're asleep. A bed partner, a sleep study, or waking up feeling exhausted despite a full night in bed is usually how it gets flagged.

This article explains what sleep apnea is, the two main types, how to recognize it, and what options exist if you suspect you have it.

03Types of Sleep Apnea

Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA)

The most common type. During sleep, the muscles in the back of your throat relax — including the ones that keep your airway open. When those muscles relax too much, the airway narrows or collapses, and breathing pauses.

Your brain detects the oxygen drop and briefly wakes you to reopen the airway. This can happen dozens or even hundreds of times per night. Most people don't remember these micro-arousals, but they fragment sleep and prevent deep, restorative rest.

Central Sleep Apnea (CSA)

Less common and different in cause. With CSA, the airway isn't blocked — the problem is the brain. The brain's respiratory control center doesn't send the right signals to the breathing muscles, causing breathing to pause.

CSA is often associated with serious underlying conditions like heart failure, stroke, or neurological disorders. It requires medical evaluation and treatment.

Complex (Mixed) Sleep Apnea

A combination of both types, sometimes identified after treatment for OSA reveals underlying central apnea patterns.

04Symptoms of Sleep Apnea

Sleep apnea symptoms span the night and the day. Many people focus only on the nighttime signs, but daytime effects are often what prompt people to finally get checked.

Nighttime Signs

• Loud, chronic snoring
• Gasping, choking, or snorting sounds during sleep (often noticed by a partner)
• Waking up short of breath
• Restless sleep or frequent tossing and turning
• Waking up with a dry mouth or sore throat
• Frequent nighttime urination

Daytime Signs

• Excessive daytime sleepiness — falling asleep easily while reading, watching TV, or even driving
• Morning headaches
• Difficulty concentrating or memory problems
• Irritability, mood swings, or depression
• Slowed reaction times
• Decreased libido

Important: Not everyone with sleep apnea snores, and not everyone who snores has sleep apnea. Daytime fatigue that doesn't improve with more sleep is often the telling sign. If you're consistently tired after 7–8 hours in bed, it's worth talking to a doctor.

05Risk Factors

Obstructive Sleep Apnea Risk Factors

• Excess weight — fat deposits around the upper airway can obstruct breathing
• Male sex — OSA is more common in men, though risk for women increases after menopause
• Age — risk increases with age, especially over 60
• Family history — OSA can run in families
• Smoking — increases inflammation and fluid retention in the upper airway
• Alcohol and sedatives — relax throat muscles and can worsen apnea
• Nasal congestion — chronic congestion from allergies or structural issues (deviated septum, enlarged tonsils) narrows the airway
• Neck circumference — a thicker neck may have a narrower airway

Central Sleep Apnea Risk Factors

• Heart failure
• Stroke or history of stroke
• Neurological disease
• Spinal or brain injury
• Use of opioid pain medications

06How Sleep Apnea Is Diagnosed

Diagnosis usually involves a sleep study — either done in a sleep lab (polysomnography) or with a home sleep apnea test. The study monitors breathing, oxygen levels, heart rate, and sleep stages to confirm the diagnosis and measure severity.

Severity is measured by the Apnea-Hypopnea Index (AHI): the average number of breathing interruptions per hour.

Talk to your doctor if you suspect sleep apnea. They can refer you to a sleep specialist and order the appropriate test.

07Lifestyle Changes That Can Help

For mild to moderate OSA, lifestyle changes can meaningfully reduce symptoms and, in some cases, resolve them:

• Lose weight — even modest weight loss can reduce OSA severity in overweight individuals
• Sleep on your side — back-sleeping worsens OSA because gravity collapses the airway more easily; side-sleeping keeps it open
• Elevate your head — raising the head of the bed by 4–6 inches can reduce the severity of obstruction
• Avoid alcohol and sedatives before bed — these relax airway muscles and worsen apnea
• Quit smoking — reduces airway inflammation
• Keep a consistent sleep schedule — irregular sleep worsens overall sleep quality
• Treat nasal congestion — saline spray, nasal strips, or allergy treatment can improve airflow

08Medical Treatments for Sleep Apnea

If lifestyle changes aren't enough, or if your apnea is moderate to severe, medical treatment is necessary:

CPAP Therapy

Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) is the gold standard for OSA. A machine delivers a steady stream of pressurized air through a mask, keeping the airway open throughout the night. It's highly effective when used consistently.

APAP

Auto-adjusting Positive Airway Pressure automatically adjusts pressure based on real-time airflow. Often better tolerated than fixed-pressure CPAP.

Oral Appliances

Custom-fitted dental devices that reposition the jaw and tongue to keep the airway open. A good option for mild to moderate OSA or for those who can't tolerate CPAP.

Surgery

Several surgical options exist — removing excess tissue in the throat, repositioning the jaw, or implanting nerve stimulators. Surgery is typically considered when other treatments haven't worked.

09How Your Sleep Setup Affects Sleep Apnea

Your mattress and bed position can actually influence sleep apnea symptoms:

• Adjustable bases let you elevate the head of the bed, which can reduce airway obstruction. Many people with mild OSA or snoring benefit from sleeping at a slight incline. Browse our adjustable bed bases.
• Side-sleeping mattresses matter if you're switching from back to side sleeping. You need a mattress that cushions your shoulders and hips without sinking, keeping your spine aligned. A hybrid or memory foam mattress with medium firmness is often a good fit.
• Mattress firmness — a mattress that's too soft can make it harder to change positions during the night, which matters if you're trying to stay off your back.

If you'd like guidance on finding a sleep setup that supports side-sleeping or head elevation, visit one of our LA showrooms — our team can walk you through the options.

10Frequently Asked Questions

Can sleep apnea be cured?

In some cases, yes — particularly if it's driven by weight. Weight loss, positional therapy, or structural correction through surgery can resolve OSA in certain individuals. For many people, it's a manageable condition with the right treatment rather than a permanent cure.

Can you have sleep apnea without snoring?

Yes. Snoring is common with OSA, but not universal. Some people have significant apnea events with little to no snoring. Daytime fatigue and other symptoms should still prompt evaluation.

Is sleep apnea dangerous?

Untreated sleep apnea is linked to high blood pressure, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, stroke, and depression. It also increases the risk of accidents due to daytime sleepiness. It's a serious condition that benefits significantly from treatment.

Can children have sleep apnea?

Yes. Pediatric sleep apnea is often caused by enlarged tonsils or adenoids and is different from adult OSA. Symptoms in children include snoring, restless sleep, bedwetting, and behavioral issues. Consult a pediatrician if you're concerned.

Does sleeping position really help sleep apnea?

Yes — particularly for OSA. Back-sleeping allows the tongue and soft tissues to fall backward and block the airway. Sleeping on your side can meaningfully reduce the number of apnea events per night for many people with positional OSA.

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Sleep apnea is more common than most people realize, and many who have it go undiagnosed for years. If you're regularly waking up tired, snoring loudly, or have been told you stop breathing during sleep, talk to your doctor. Treatment can dramatically improve sleep quality — and overall health.