Who gets obstructive sleep apnoea?
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OSAS can occur at any age, including in children. However, it most
commonly develops in middle aged men who are overweight or obese. It is
thought that as many as 4 in 100 middle aged men and 2 in 100 middle
aged women develop OSAS.
Factors that increase the risk of
developing OSAS, or can make it worse, include the following. They all
increase the tendency of the narrowing in the throat at night to be
worse than normal.
- Overweight and obesity. Particularly if you have a thick neck as the extra fat in the neck can squash the airway.
- Drinking alcohol in the evening. Alcohol relaxes muscles more than
usual and makes the brain less responsive an apnoea episode. This may
lead to more severe apnoea episodes in people who may otherwise have
mild OSAS. - Enlarged tonsils.
- Taking sedative drugs such as sleeping tablets or tranquilisers.
- Sleeping on your back rather than on your side.
- Having a small or receding lower jaw (a jaw that is set back further than normal).
- Smoking.
You may also have a family history of OSAS.
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Where to next?
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Do snoring remedies really work?
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Semisomnia: A modern sleep condition
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Sleep problems: help and information
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What are the symptoms of obstructive sleep apnoea?
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What causes sleepwalking?
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What happens in people with obstructive sleep apnoea?
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What is the treatment for OSA?
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Who gets obstructive sleep apnoea?
