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A member asked:
When someone has sleep apnea, what exactly is happening in their body?
4 doctors weighed in across 2 answers
Airway closure: With OSA, the upper airway closes, your oxygen level drops, your brain arouses to cause a brief awakening, and the cycle repeats itself anywhere from 5 to more than a hundred times an hour. Over time, this can lead to chronic inflammation and is associated with a plethora of medical issues including diabetes, heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, and memory impairment just to name a few.
Answered 2/19/2022
3.3k views
Apnea is cessation of breath often caused by an obstruction (tongue) occluding the airway. At night your body sacrifices sleep in order to breathe and get oxygen by waking up (arousals). If these arousals are 10 seconds or more per hour it is called an Apneic event. Dropping in oxygen increases risk of heart attack & stroke, high blood pressure, diabetes, memory & urinary issues. Seek a sleep MD
Answered 2/19/2022
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