What Is Sleep Apnea?

Sleep apneas are momentary disruptions in breathing that prevent air from reaching the lungs. They can happen up to 30 times or more a night, waking you as you resume normal breathing.

There are two main types of sleep apnea:

• Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) occurs when you try to breathe but your airways are partially or fully blocked. The muscles at the back of your throat may have slackened, disrupting airflow. Hormone levels, obesity and large tonsils can also cause OSA.
• Central sleep apnea (CSA) is less common and may develop due to medications, heart failure, stroke or other conditions. With CSA, your brain briefly stops signaling the rest of your body to breathe.

Why Are Older Adults at Risk of Sleep Apnea?

Sleep apnea risk increases with age. Older adults are more likely to have diabetes, heart disease and other chronic conditions associated with OSA. You may also develop more fatty tissue in your neck and tongue, which can narrow your airways.

Lack of restful sleep affects quality of life, making it hard to stay physically active or fully engage in social activities at Hickory Villa. You might experience fatigue, irritability, anxiety and depression. Stress on your body from the apneas can also result in serious complications, such as stroke, heart failure and liver problems.

Diagnosing Sleep Apnea

Always check with your doctor if you have questions about your sleep to stay ahead of health concerns. While 56% of people aged 65 and over are at high risk of OSA, only 8% have been tested for it.

Sleep apnea is diagnosed through a sleep study, or polysomnograph, performed in a lab. Your health care provider can refer you to a local sleep specialist. There are several sleep labs in Omaha, including the Sleep Disorders Center at Nebraska Medicine and Frontier Diagnostic Sleep Center, located near the Hickory Villa assisted living community.

A sleep study records the average number of breathing interruptions in 1 hour. These may be apneas (no air gets through for 10 or more seconds) or hypopneas (reduced airflow for 10 or more seconds).

Using the apnea-hypopnea index, doctors determine how severe the sleep apnea is:

• Less than 5: None or minimal
• 5 to 15: Mild
• 15 to 30: Moderate
• 30 or higher: Severe

Sleep Apnea Treatments

Treatments vary depending on the severity and type of sleep apnea. The most common approach is continuous positive airway pressure, or CPAP. You'll get a prescription for a CPAP machine, which includes a mask you slip over your nose and mouth when you sleep.

Set up the machine next to your bed in your senior living apartment. It provides gentle airflow to help keep your airways open while you sleep. Your doctor will tell you what pressure settings to use based on your sleep test data.

Another option is an oral appliance. These devices are customized to fit your mouth, holding your tongue or jaw in place to keep air flowing. Your doctor may suggest this treatment for mild or moderate sleep apnea or if you find CPAP machines uncomfortable.

Sometimes lifestyle changes, such as losing weight, stopping smoking or changing sleep position, can help. For example, if you sleep on your side, your airways are less likely to collapse than if you're lying on your back.

At Hickory Villa, we always encourage our residents to get professional guidance from a doctor. While online medical information can give a good introduction to a topic, your doctor can personalize advice based on your symptoms and health history.