How to Reverse Central Sleep Apnea?

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How to Reverse Central Sleep Apnea?

Central sleep apnea can be treated differently than the more common obstructive sleep apnea. Since sleep apnea is a serious condition, it’s important to learn everything we can about and I’m here to help.

So, how to reverse central sleep apnea? There are different ways to reverse central sleep apnea, check this list of 8 available treatments that may be recommended to you by your doctor.

  1. CPAP treatment
    • CPAP or “Continuous Positive Airway Pressure” is the most commonly used method for treating sleep apnea of all types. Providing the air you need, it can eventually cure sleep apnea.
  2. Treating associated conditions
    • Central sleep apnea can be caused by different health conditions. For example, treating risks of heart failure can get rid of central sleep apnea.
  3. Reducing opioid medications
    • If you are taking opioid medications, there’s a chance that it may be the cause of your central sleep apnea. Reducing the dosage can potentially reverse central sleep apnea.
  4. Bilevel positive airway pressure
    • Bilevel positive airway pressure (BPAP) is similar to CPAP and ASV treatment methods but also have its own risks especially for patients with heart failure.
  5. Adaptive servo-ventilation
    • Also similar to CPAP treatment, adaptive servo-ventilation provides positive air to its users and is capable of adjusting the pressure during use for better treatment of the patient.
  6. Supplemental oxygen
    • Just like CPAP, using supplemental oxygen can help reverse central sleep apnea. Supplemental oxygen can be delivered to your lungs in various ways.
  7. Acetazolamide or Diamox medication
    • Certain medications such as Acetazolamide can help treat central sleep apnea. There are also more, but you must consult your doctor for more accurate prescriptions.
  8. Phrenic nerve stimulation
    • A surgery where a nerve stimulator device is implanted inside the body to help keep your body breathing during sleep. It only works when you are lying down.

There are also basic lifestyle changes that can help prevent central sleep apnea such as the following…

  1. Losing weight
    • For some cases, being overweight can worsen central sleep apnea. This can lead to a combination of CSA and OSA which will result in complex sleep apnea.
  2. Avoiding alcohol
    • Excessive liquor consumption can also worsen central sleep apnea, avoiding this can help you reverse the condition much easier.
  3. Avoiding smoking
    • Smoking can also worsen sleep apnea so it’s best for you to try to limit your intake or if possible, permanently stop it.
  4. Avoiding sedative drugs
    • Certain drugs can relax the muscles too much to the point that it will make breathing even more difficult, worsening central sleep apnea conditions.
  5. Sleeping on time
    • Sometimes, we end up triggering sleep apnea simply because we do not sleep early or properly. Try to follow a proper sleeping routine and avoid central sleep apnea.
  6. Sleeping on your sides
    • Sleeping on your sides can help reduce the tendency of sleep apnea attacks.
  7. Treating chronic allergies
    • Allergic reactions that may involve difficulty in breathing can be the cause of sleep apnea or worsen it. Treating or avoiding your allergies can also prevent central sleep apnea.
  8. Using anti-apnea devices
    • There are now a lot of anti-sleep apnea devices that can be tried depending on what your doctor prescribes.

Now that you know the possible solutions for reversing central sleep apnea, the next thing you should know is what causes it. Knowing the cause will make it easier for you to prevent it.

What causes central sleep apnea

Central sleep apnea occurs when your brain fails to transmit signals to your breathing muscles.

Central sleep apnea can have different factors or conditions that may be the cause of it. Mostly, it’s those that can affect the ability of the brainstem which links the brain to the spinal cord and controls various functions.

Those functions include controlling the heart rate and breathing. Check out this list that can potentially cause central sleep apnea.

  1. Cheyne-Stokes breathing
    • This type of central sleep apnea is most commonly associated with congestive heart failure or stroke. Cheyne-Stokes breathing involves irregular breathing patterns.
  2. Drug-induced apnea
    • Taking certain medications such as opioids may cause your breathing to become irregular, to increase and decrease in a regular pattern, or to temporarily stop completely.
  3. High-altitude periodic breathing
    • A Cheyne-Stokes breathing pattern may occur if you’re exposed to a very high altitude.
    • The change in oxygen at this altitude is the reason for the alternating rapid breathing (hyperventilation) and under breathing.
  4. CPAP treatment induced
    • Some people with obstructive sleep apnea develop central sleep apnea while using continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) for their sleep apnea treatment.
    • This condition is known as treatment-emergent central sleep apnea and is a combination of obstructive and central sleep apneas.
  5. Medical condition-induced CSA
    • Several medical conditions, including end-stage kidney disease and stroke, may give rise to central sleep apnea of the non-Cheyne-Stokes variety.
  6. Idiopathic (primary) central sleep apnea
    • The cause of this uncommon type of central sleep apnea is still currently being studied. As of the moment, the cause is unknown.

What are the signs of central sleep apnea (12 signs)

Signs of central sleep apnea are somehow similar to other types of sleep apnea. If you notice are experiencing some of the following, you should consider getting checked immediately.

  1. Constant pauses in breathing
    • Sleep apnea mainly interrupts breathing, if you experience pauses in breathing during sleep it is a sign of sleep apnea
  2. Irregular heartbeat or breathing
    • Abnormal breathing pattern is a major sign of sleeping conditions like central sleep apnea. It can also be related to heart problems.
  3. Sudden shortness of breath
    • You may or may not notice it but you will constantly feel like you are choking when you have sleep apnea.
  4. Waking up to gasp for air
    • You may suddenly wake up in the middle of your sleep just to simply gasp for air and you may not even remember doing so because it is only for a short period of time.
  5. Having a hard time sleeping
    • Showing signs of insomnia can be due to sleep apnea since it makes sleeping difficult for the patients.
  6. Excessive daytime sleepiness
    • Waking up but still feeling tired is a sign of sleep apnea. It drains our body’s energy during sleep since it continues to disrupt the body’s “charging” or resting state.
  7. Slight to moderate chest pains at night
    • The disrupted breathing can eventually affect the heart which may lead to chest pains.
  8. Lack of ability to concentrate
    • The lack of energy caused by sleep apnea can also result in a decreased ability to focus and increase existing conditions like ADHD.
  9. Uncontrolled mood swings
    • Being sleep deprived because of sleep apnea can affect our mental health and also cause us to have uncontrolled mood swings.
  10. Waking up with a headache
    • The lack of blood oxygen levels in the brain caused by sleep apnea will result in a headache that will go away as we go on with our day.
  11. Occasional snoring
    • Snoring is less common in central sleep apnea but can still be present at times. The difficulty in breathing may cause patients to breathe through the mouth unconsciously and produce the sound of snoring.
  12. Inability to exercise longer
    • Sleep apnea takes away the body’s energy without us knowing it and may get in the way of our daily activities such as exercising. Your body will shut down faster than normal.

How central sleep apnea affects us

Central sleep apnea is a disorder where the patient will experience constant pauses in breathing during sleep. It can happen during the entire course of the night.

This conditions “attacks” when the brain is unable to send proper signals to our muscles that control breathing. In other words, you may think of it as a dysfunctional machine unable to work properly.

Unlike the common obstructive sleep apnea which disrupts breathing due to an obstruction in the upper airway, central sleep apnea happens simply because of the affected brain, not the airways itself.

Central sleep apnea is less common than obstructive sleep apnea. Central sleep apnea may occur as a result of other conditions, such as heart failure and stroke.

Sleeping at a high altitude also may cause central sleep apnea.

Treatments for central sleep apnea may involve treating existing conditions, using a device to assist breathing or using supplemental oxygen.

Related Questions

Is central sleep apnea fatal?

Yes, central sleep apnea can be indirectly fatal. It may not be the main risk factor but it can bring in other potential conditions that can turn fatal any moment.

Is central sleep apnea rare?

Central sleep apnea is less common than obstructive sleep apnea however, both can occur at the same time and become diagnosed as complex sleep apnea, which is a combination of both.

Central sleep apnea can occur alone or without OSA, but that still makes it rare compared to OSA that occurs with other conditions. Central sleep apnea is also more common in older adults

Does exercise help central sleep apnea?

Yes, healthy exercise is proven to help central sleep apnea by reducing its risk factors and the same goes for other sleep apnea conditions. Exercising can help improve your overall health.