Take a moment to breathe. Close your eyes. Slowly inhale through your nose, pause, and gently exhale through your mouth. After a few steady breaths, you likely feel more relaxed and ready for the day.
Now imagine plugging your nose and trying to breathe with your tongue pressed against the roof of your mouth, blocking the airway. You would quickly feel stressed and uncomfortable. Now imagine that happening over and over again, all night long.
That is what occurs with obstructive sleep apnea.
Obstructive sleep apnea happens when relaxed throat muscles and soft tissues collapse and block the airway during sleep. These temporary pauses in breathing—called apneas—cause lower oxygen levels. The brain senses the drop and briefly arouses the body to reopen the airway. This cycle can repeat dozens, even hundreds, of times per night. The result is fragmented sleep, low oxygen, and a body that never truly rests.
Sleep is when the body resets and restores itself. It supports immune function, heart health, metabolism, memory, mood, and emotional regulation. When sleep suffers, so does overall health. Poor sleep increases the risk of high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, diabetes, cognitive decline, and even dementia. People who are chronically tired are also less likely to make healthy choices.
The gold standard treatment for sleep apnea is CPAP—continuous positive airway pressure. A bedside machine delivers steady air through a mask, keeping the airway open during sleep. Some patients benefit from BiPAP, which provides different pressures when breathing in and out. When used consistently, these therapies can dramatically improve sleep quality, energy, focus, hormone balance, and cardiovascular health.
Other treatments may help in selected cases. Weight loss, dental appliances, side sleeping, and certain surgeries can reduce airway obstruction. For patients who cannot tolerate CPAP, hypoglossal nerve stimulation (often known by the brand Inspire) is an option. This implanted device stimulates the nerve controlling the tongue, helping maintain an open airway during sleep.
Although sleeping with a mask may not sound appealing at first, some people feel better quickly and do well with it. Others improve once they are used to it. It often takes patience—trying different masks, adjusting pressure settings, or adding humidification. With proper support and follow-up, most people adapt well.
The benefits of treating sleep apnea far outweigh the risks of ignoring it. Restful sleep improves energy, protects the heart and brain, and enhances overall quality of life.
If you or someone you love snores loudly, stops breathing during sleep, or feels tired despite a full night’s rest, consider visiting your medical provider. Restoring healthy breathing at night may be one of the most important steps toward better health.
Richard P. Holm, MD passed away in March 2020 after a battle with pancreatic cancer. He is founder of The Prairie Doc®. For free and easy access to the entire Prairie Doc® ® library, visit www.prairiedoc.organd follow Prairie Doc® on Facebook. Dr. Andrew Ellsworth is a Family Medicine Physician at Avera Medical Group Brookings in Brookings, SD.
