Health Information
Comprehensive undefined information and treatment options at Healers Clinic Dubai.
"You are not alone in this journey."
Understanding This Symptom
Medical Definition
Subject Matter Expert Verified
Sleep apnea is a serious sleep disorder characterized by repeated breathing interruptions during sleep, caused by airway collapse (obstructive sleep apnea/OSA) or failed brain signals (central sleep apnea/CSA).
These pauses in breathing, called apneas and hypopneas, reduce blood oxygen levels and disrupt sleep architecture, leading to excessive daytime sleepiness, cardiovascular strain, and increased risk of hypertension, heart disease, and stroke.
Quick Facts
What Optimal Health Looks Like
Understanding how your body functions when healthy helps identify dysfunction
During healthy sleep, the upper airway maintains patency through coordinated activation of the genioglossus and tensor palatini muscles, preventing collapse during inspiration.
Normal sleep architecture progresses through NREM stages 1-3 and REM sleep, with stable respiratory drive from the medulla and pons.
Blood oxygen saturation (SpO2) remains above 95%, carbon dioxide levels stay within normal limits, and the heart maintains steady rate variability without sympathetic surges.
The collapsible pharynx remains open through neuromuscular compensation, allowing uninterrupted breathing throughout all sleep stages.
Healthy Function
Your body is designed to maintain balance and self-regulate
How This Develops
Upper Airway Anatomy - a narrowed or collapsible pharynx due to obesity, enlarged tonsils, tongue size, or craniofacial structure predisposes to airway collapse; (
Neuromuscular Compromise - reduced genioglossus and dilator muscle activity during sleep fails to counteract negative intrathoracic pressure; (
Arousal Threshold - repeated microarousals from the brain fragment sleep without full awakening, preventing deep restorative sleep; (
Ventilatory Control Instability - unstable respiratory drive from the brainstem creates periodic breathing patterns; (
Obesity Hypoventilation - excess adipose tissue restricts diaphragmatic excursion and increases airway collapsibility; (
Nighttime Desaturation - recurrent hypoventilation causes oxygen desaturation events, triggering sympathetic nervous system activation and catecholamine surges; (
Systemic Inflammation - intermittent hypoxia-reperfusion injury elevates CRP, IL-
Understanding the mechanism helps us target the root cause rather than just treating symptoms.
What Happens If Left Untreated
Understanding the consequences helps you make informed decisions about your health
Short-Term Consequences
Days to weeks
- [object Object] | [object Object] | [object Object]
Time Matters
Don't wait for symptoms to worsen. Early intervention leads to better outcomes.