IS SLEEP APNEA A DISABILITY?

Sleep apnea is a potentially dangerous condition in which the affected individual misses several breaths during the night while sleeping. Left untreated, sleep apnea can increase the risk of developing serious health conditions, including hypertension, heart attack, arrhythmia, and diabetes. People with sleep apnea also typically experience difficulty with memory and concentration, and many also have a reduced sex drive or develop impotence.

An “apnea” is a period in which an individual is not breathing for 10 seconds or more. People with sleep apnea may experience literally hundreds of these during the night, although most have no recollection of it upon waking. Apneas may also be defined by a significant drop in oxygen levels in the blood at a given time, but this cannot be detected without participation in a sleep study. Sleep studies, or polysomnograms, are tests that measure the activities of the heart, brain, and muscles, as well as oxygen levels, while the patient rests to determine if he or she has a sleep disorder. They are performed at sleep centers, and require at least one overnight stay.

Sleep apnea may occur in any individual at any age, but it most commonly occurs in people over 40. Men, people with a family history of apnea, and those who are overweight are also more likely to have episodes of apnea. This condition can be treated with a variety of behavior modifications, such as getting more rest, avoiding stress, losing weight, limiting the use of alcohol and tobacco, and changing your sleep position (sleeping on your side is recommended).

A continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) mask may also be prescribed. A CPAP mask forces a continuous airflow though the nostrils at night, and keeps the airways from becoming blocked and impairing breathing. However, in some cases surgery may be required to fix a deviated nasal septum or to remove any soft tissue at the back of the mouth that may be obstructing airflow.

There are three types of sleep apnea: obstructive, in which the soft tissues at the back of the throat collapse and block airflow; central sleep apnea, in which the brain does not signal the body to breathe during sleep; and mixed, which is a combination of obstructive and central sleep apnea. Obstructive sleep apnea is the most common form of this disorder, and is often first noticed by the spouse who will hear their partner snort or snore loudly as the body attempts to get its breathing pattern back on track. Central sleep apnea does not normally involve any snoring, and can be trickier to diagnose.

Regardless of the type of sleep apnea involved, the danger to an individual’s overall health is the same—without restorative sleep it is only a matter of time before poor work performance, fatigue and anxiety begin to surface.

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