Obstructive sleep apnea is caused by the muscles in the back of your throat relaxing so much that they do not have the ability to support the soft palate that hangs at the back of the throat. The palate can cause the airway to become blocked and reduce the amount of oxygen that the person is getting into their body. Other common causes that can lead to a person suffering from obstructive sleep apnea syndrome include weight gain that can cause extra exertion from added fat around an airway that may already be narrow. In many of the sleep apnea cases, weight gain is a secondary condition of the obstructive sleep apnea itself. When people fail to get enough restful sleep during the night, they tend to experience excessive daytime sleepiness and hunger, causing them to eat and put on extra pounds. This can intensify the obstructive sleep apnea syndrome that they may have already had but did not have diagnosed. High blood pressure is another common cause of obstructive sleep apnea. When the level of pressure placed on the veins and arteries in the neck occurs, this places additional pressure around the airway causing the throat to constrict and compromising the body’s ability to take in enough oxygen.

The Causes of Central Sleep Apnea

Of all of the types of sleep apnea, central sleep apnea seems to be the least common. This type of sleep disorder occurs when the brain does not transmit signals to the muscles used for breathing. While the common symptoms of daytime sleepiness and snoring are often experienced the same as in other types of sleep apnea, the common causes of this disorder are due to heart disease and strokes that a person may suffer from. 

The Causes of Complex Sleep Apnea

Complex sleep apnea is considered to be the one of the most serious types of sleep disorders that a person can experience. Individuals that suffer from complex sleep apnea have an obstruction in their upper airway that is the same as individuals that suffer from obstructive sleep apnea. However, with complex sleep apnea the individual also experiences problems with the rhythm of their breathing and have periodic lapses in their breathing ability. 

While the three different types of sleep apnea have different causes, the risk factors are often the same. People will experience daytime sleepiness, snoring and lack of restful sleeping periods. These symptoms generally result in secondary symptoms that are misleading for an actual diagnosis. A medical doctor that specializes in sleep disorders can perform tests and give you an accurate diagnosis for which sleep apnea type you may be suffering from primarily and the best course of treatment for your condition.