Sleep-disordered breathing can affect your rest and health, but the right treatments can help you breathe easier and sleep better.

If you’ve ever been told you snore loudly or gasp for air in your sleep, or you wake up tired even after a full night’s rest, you may be experiencing sleep-disordered breathing (SBD). This group of conditions affects how you breathe while sleeping and can take a toll on your daily life and long-term health.

Knowing more about these conditions can help you spot potential symptoms. It can also prepare you to talk with a doctor and find the right treatment to improve your sleep and how you feel each day.

SBD refers to breathing difficulties that happen during sleep. These issues can raise your risk for certain health conditions and affect your quality of life.

Types of SDB include:

  • upper airway resistance — trouble getting air through the upper airway
  • hyponea — shallow or slow breathing
  • apnea — pauses in breathing during sleep
  • catathrenia — groaning or moaning while exhaling
  • heavy snoring

Understanding these patterns and getting an accurate diagnosis is key to finding the right treatment.

Sleep disorders linked to SBD include:

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA)

OSA happens when the muscles in your throat and neck relax during sleep. The soft tissue in the back of the throat can collapse and block the upper airway, making it harder to breathe or temporarily stopping your breathing. These pauses can last up to 10 seconds and may occur multiple times throughout the night.

Central sleep apnea (CSA)

In CSA, the brain doesn’t send the proper signals to the muscles that control breathing. This reduces or stops your body’s efforts to breathe, leading to lower oxygen levels. Unlike OSA, where the airway is blocked, CSA occurs because the brain’s drive to breathe is disrupted.

Complex sleep apnea

Complex sleep apnea, also called treatment-emergent central sleep apnea (TECSA), is a form of SBD that combines features of both OSA and CSA. Doctors often diagnose this when CSA events develop or continue even after starting continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy for OSA. In complex sleep apnea, the airway is open, but breathing pauses occur because the brain’s signals that control breathing are disrupted.

Upper airway resistance syndrome (UARS)

UARS is similar to OSA in that the airway narrows while you sleep, making it harder to breathe. However, it’s typically less severe and doesn’t fully meet the diagnostic criteria for OSA.

SDB can affect you both during the day and at night. Many symptoms can come from disrupted or inadequate sleep.

Daytime symptoms include:

  • feeling unusually sleepy during the day
  • mood changes, such as irritability or depression
  • trouble focusing or remembering things

Nighttime symptoms may include:

  • loud snoring
  • pauses in breathing noticed by your bed partner
  • waking up with a dry mouth, sore throat, or headache
  • suddenly waking up short of breath
  • difficulty staying asleep
  • groaning or moaning while exhaling
  • decreased interest in sex

The diagnostic process can vary from person to person, depending on your symptoms and sleep patterns.

Your doctor will likely start by reviewing your medical history and performing a physical exam. They may recommend a sleep study to monitor your breathing, oxygen levels, and other vital signs while you sleep.

In some cases, additional tests can help rule out other conditions that may be causing your symptoms.

The right treatment depends on your specific diagnosis, overall health, and any other conditions you may have.

Lifestyle changes

Most doctors typically recommend lifestyle changes as the first step. These may include:

  • losing weight, if obesity is a factor
  • quitting smoking, if you smoke
  • reducing alcohol consumption if you drink, especially before bedtime
  • positional therapy (avoiding sleeping on your back)

Machines (positive airway pressure)

Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) and bilevel positive airway pressure (BiPAP) machines are standard treatments for SDB. Both these therapies involve wearing a mask while you sleep. The machine provides a steady flow of air that helps keep your airway open throughout the night. Using these devices consistently and correctly is key to seeing improvement.

Oral appliances

If CPAP and BiPAP machines aren’t a good fit, oral appliances may be an alternative. Mandibular advancement devices (MADs) or mandibular repositioning appliances (MRAs) adjust the position of your jaw or tongue to help prevent your airway from collapsing while you sleep.

These devices tend to work best for mild to moderate SDB or when the structure of your airway makes them a good option.

Surgery

If noninvasive methods aren’t effective, a doctor may consider surgery. Surgical procedures aim to remove or reposition tissue that blocks the airway. Options may include:

  • Transoral robotic surgery (TORS): A minimally invasive robotic approach that removes excess tissue, often at the base of the tongue or epiglottis, to open the airway.
  • Inspire hypoglossal nerve stimulation: An implanted device monitors breathing and gently stimulates airway muscles to keep the tongue from collapsing backward during sleep.
  • Uvulopalatopharyngoplasty (UPPP or UP3): A surgical procedure that removes excess tissue in the throat, often along with the tonsils, to widen the airway.
  • Lateral pharyngoplasty/expansion sphincteroplasty: A variation of the UPPP procedure that repositions throat and palate tissues to improve airflow in people with throat narrowing or webbing of the palate.
  • Lingual tonsillectomy: A surgery that removes tissue from the base of the tongue to reduce obstruction in people with severe OSA.
  • Thyrohyoidopexy: A surgical technique that repositions the hyoid bone and pulls the tongue and epiglottis forward to help open the airway.
  • Tongue reduction surgery: A less invasive option that removes extra tissue from the base of the tongue to improve airflow during sleep.

Several risk factors can increase your risk of developing sleep-disordered breathing. These include:

  • obesity
  • family history of the condition or snoring
  • being assigned male at birth
  • large tonsils
  • drinking alcohol at bedtime
  • hormonal changes after menopause
  • hypothyroidism
  • high levels of growth hormone (acromegaly)
  • small lower jaw

Talk with a doctor about which factors may apply to you and how you can help lower your risk.

With the right treatment, many people with SDB can sleep better and feel more energized during the day. Working with your doctor to create a plan, including specific treatment options and lifestyle changes, can help you manage symptoms and improve your long-term health.

Questions for your doctor

When you consult a doctor about SBD, it’s a good time to share your concerns and get clarity about your diagnosis and treatment options. Here are some questions you might want to ask:

  • Could anything other than sleep-disordered breathing be causing my symptoms?
  • What might be contributing to my condition?
  • Do I need additional tests to confirm my diagnosis?
  • What treatment do you think will work best for me?
  • Are there lifestyle changes that could help improve my symptoms?
  • What complications should I be aware of or watch for?

Sleep-disordered breathing can take a toll on how you feel, but there are many ways to manage it. Treatments and lifestyle changes can help you breathe easier, sleep better, and boost your overall well-being.

Work with your doctor to create a plan that fits your life and goals. Taking small steps toward better sleep can make a big difference.