Sleep apnea is a condition that affects your sleep cycle. The condition causes a block in the airway, which limits the airflow to the lungs. Snoring is often associated with those who have this condition. When oxygen is prevented from reaching your brain, it can cause breathing problems and sleep deprivation. Here are the types and risk factors of sleep apnea.

Types of sleep apnea
While studying the types and risk factors of sleep apnea, it is important to understand that the severity of the problem differs from patient to patient.

1. Obstructive sleep apnea
This is the most common type of sleep apnea, and while quite a few people seem to suffer from it, most of them do not seek treatment for the condition. Generally, those who suffer from this kind of sleep apnea have anywhere between 5-14 breathing interruptions in an hour. Patients with advanced conditions may even suffer about 30 interruptions. Loud snoring, light sleep, morning headaches, and tiredness are the common symptoms of this condition.

2. Central sleep apnea
This type of sleep apnea is seen in many patients. Central Sleep Apnea is more often a communication issue as the brain fails to communicate to the lungs that the person needs to breathe. More often, physicians call this a mechanical problem. Mood swings, difficulty in focusing, morning headaches, and shortness of breath are some of the symptoms of this type of sleep apnea.

3. Mixed sleep apnea
As you study the types and risk factors of sleep apnea, mixed sleep apnea often pops up as a condition that is a combination of the above two types. These patients are typically asked to use a CPAP machine which helps to regulate the breathing and allows the patient to get undisturbed sleep for longer hours.

Risk factors of sleep apnea
It is essential to treat and diagnose sleep apnea as early as possible. Some of the risk factors that are associated with sleep apnea are as follows:

1. A weight problem
Obesity is a leading cause of sleep apnea. Excess fat in the body tends to get deposited around the upper airway, leading to difficulty in breathing.

2. Size of the neck
It is said that people with thicker necks tend to have narrow airways, which may obstruct breathing to a certain extent.

3. Family history
It is understood that if you have people in your family who suffer from this condition, you may be at a higher risk of developing it too.

4. Smoking
People who smoke are three times more likely to suffer from this condition when it comes to sleep apnea.

Understanding the types and risk factors of sleep apnea helps you to seek help when you need it.