What is Sleep Apnea?

Sleep apnea is a medical condition and sleeping disorder where you repeatedly stop breathing throughout the night. This can happen because of obstructive sleep apnea, central sleep apnea, or complex sleep apnea, which is a combination of both. Obstructive sleep apnea is the most common and can be classified as mild, moderate, or severe.

How is sleep apnea classified? 

• Mild OSA: 5-14 apneas per hour of sleep
• Moderate OSA: 15-30 apneas per hour of sleep
• Severe OSA: 30+ apneas per hour of sleep

When you stop breathing this frequently, the natural result is severe sleep deprivation. The consequences of this include shorter lifespans, poorer sleep quality, and suboptimal performance across various aspects of life. These consequences are constant regardless of the sleep apnea severity. CPAP therapy is the mainstay of treatment for all classifications of OSA.

What is a CPAP Machine, and How Does it Work?

A CPAP device/machine stands for Continuous Positive Airway Pressure. It is the gold standard for treating obstructive sleep apnea.

A CPAP machine is a small, rectangular box with a motorized fan inside and an adjacent humidifier.

Connected to the CPAP device is a flexible tube that leads to a breathing mask. The hose is lightweight and kept warm to reduce condensation. 

Finally, the primary component in CPAP machines is a small fan inside. The small fan inside delivers gentle, positive pressure through a connected hose to the breathing mask. This results in fewer breathing lapses throughout the night because the positive air pressure keeps your airway open. The pressure can be a little strange at first, but people rarely report any long-term problems associated with it.

CPAP Treatment and Alternatives for Mild Sleep Apnea

Regardless of the severity of sleep apnea, CPAP therapy is the mainstay treatment. However, CPAP therapy may be prescribed only after other, traditional, DIY options fail [resmed]. These include:

• Lifestyle changes (eating, drinking, tobacco use, and exercise habits)
• Losing weight
• Changing sleep position
• Medication changes

These interventions and changes work because mild sleep apnea may be caused by:

• Being overweight
• Excessive drinking, tobacco use, or poor eating habits
• Sleeping on your back
• Using certain medications
• Not exercising enough

Mild sleep apnea should still be addressed with the same seriousness as severe sleep apnea, because they both carry risks for:

• Lower quality of life
• Shortened life span
• Risks for heart disease and other health conditions

If you live in Alaska and are concerned that you or your loved one has a sleep disorder, then please click the button below to take a free online sleep test and talk with one of our sleep health professionals.