G47.38: Other sleep apnea

You get too little air when you sleep.

There are different reasons why we sleep. The reasons have not been fully understood. So far we know, for example, that sleep helps the body to recover. Sleep also develops the memory, and it brings feelings into equilibrium. Sleep has a particular sequence. There are deep sleep phases and lighter sleep phases. These phases alternate during sleep. The sleep-wake cycle is controlled by different influences such as messenger substances in the body. These messenger substances can be influenced by activity and light.

The airway can get narrow while one sleeps. This is often the cause of someone getting insufficient air while they sleep. The airways often narrow due to obesity. Too much soft tissue around the neck then presses down on the airway in the throat. So the airway narrows. The person then often snores. You are getting too little air because of the narrowed airway. It may also be that your respiratory drive is failing. In the brain there is a specific area that controls the respiratory drive. There may also be other reasons for you getting too little air while you sleep.

When someone gets too little air, the blood’s oxygen content falls. The brain then gets too little oxygen. The person then wakes up briefly and then falls asleep again. They do not usually notice this waking. However, their sleep is interrupted. With this condition, this happens frequently during the night. This makes their sleep less restful.

As a result, you may have various symptoms. They may be very tired during the day, or find it hard to concentrate. Sleep problems can contribute to various disorders.