The Different Causes of Sleep Apnoea

If your loved one suffers from sleep apnoea, it can be quite obtrusive to your sleeping patterns. Not to mention that their health would also be at risk if they are having trouble breathing as they sleep. This is why it would be crucial to determining the cause of their breathing problems so that they can be remedied before you have a serious health crisis on your hands. The following are some of the different causes of sleep apnoea.

Excessive consumption of alcohol

One of the main culprits of breathing problems as you sleep is alcohol. When you have consumed excessive amounts of alcohol, the muscles in your throat will gradually become relaxed. The more relaxed these muscles become, the higher the chances that they will begin to block your respiratory passage. If you are already predisposed to breathing problems as you sleep, you will find that alcohol will aggravate the sleep apnoea. Therefore, it would be ideal to try to reduce the alcohol intake and see if this will resolve the sleep apnoea problem.

Excessive smoking

Another culprit of breathing problems while sleeping is excessive smoking. Granted, not all smokers will be afflicted with either snoring or sleep apnea. However, if you are already susceptible to breathing problems, smoking can exacerbate the condition. The reason for this is that compounds will begin to deposit themselves on the alveoli that are located on your respiratory tract. The more the deposits, the easier it becomes for your air passage to become restricted. This translates into problems with your breathing as you sleep.

Nasal congestion

If you are afflicted with sinuses, chances are you will also develop sleep apnea. When you persistently suffer from stuffiness in your nasal canal, the airflow will be obstructed. This leads to you having to breathe through your mouth and can affect your regular breathing if your mouth closes as you sleep. To prevent this, you could seek over the counter medications such as nasal strips. You could also consult with your doctor on which nasal sprays could ease this problem.

Being overweight

Your overall weight could adversely affect your health. You will find that people who are on the heavier side will begin to succumb to breathing problems, which could lead to the development of sleep apnoea. The main reason for this is decreased lung capacity. If your loved one is overweight, you may want to consider wright loss as a long-term solution for the sleep apnoea.


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