About 2% of women and at least 4% of men suffer from obstructive sleep apnea, a condition in which the airway collapses and blocks breathing for 30 seconds or even up to a minute or two. Being overweight more than doubles your risk of having sleep apnea, says Dr. Lawrence Epstein, chief medical officer at Sleep HealthCenters, a network of clinics based in Brighton, Mass.

In children, sleep apnea was traditionally associated with enlarged tonsils and adenoids or skeletal abnormalities, which can constrict the airway. But doctors are finding that more children are being treated for sleep apnea as a result of being overweight. Dr. David Gozal, a pediatric sleep specialist at the University of Chicago, says the percentage of obese children being treated for sleep apnea in his program has increased from 23% in 1995 to more than 57% now.

Sleep specialists are also doing preliminary research on a technique called neuromodulation, which uses a device to emit a tone into a patient’s ears during sleep. This is supposed to stimulate parts of the brain that control the tongue and upper airways, keeping them taut. [ Read Complte Post By Amanda Leigh Mascarelli, Special to the Los Angeles Times...  ]

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Filed under: Obstructive Sleep Apnea • Sleep • Sleep Apnea • Sleep Apnea Awareness • Sleep Apnea Devices • Sleep Apnea Diagnosis • Sleep Apnea Effects • Sleep Apnea Test • Sleep Apnea Treatment • Sleep Disordered Breathing • Sleep Disorders • Sleep Problems

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