10 Causes of Sleep Apnea
Cause #1: Central Sleep Apnea
Obstructive sleep is when the patient’s breathing is interrupted by a physical blockage in the airways, and there are many potential reasons for this. Central sleep apnea is different in that it is caused within the brain and not by an obstruction. Basically, the brain fails to tell the muscles that they need to be working to help us breathe.
Central sleep apnea is often treated with medication but other more direct methods are also sometimes used. One example is continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP), which uses air pressure to keep the airways open. Central sleep apnea can be fatal, particularly in the very old and sick, so it is something that needs to be taken seriously.
