Adult Sleep Disordered Breathing

Written By Guest User

Snoring is a red flag. It’s not “just a sound” or “just getting older”—it’s your body signaling that something is wrong with the way you’re breathing at night. And if left untreated, these early signs can develop into more serious conditions that affect your entire body.

 

Sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) refers to a wide range of breathing abnormalities that occur during sleep. While most people have heard of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), SDB begins much earlier on the spectrum—with something as seemingly harmless as mouth breathing or snoring.

OSA can occur when the muscles of the tongue, soft palate, and throat don’t function properly. As the tongue drops back during sleep, it may partially block the airway (causing snoring) or fully obstruct it, leading to gasping, teeth grinding, or micro-arousals that prevent deep sleep.

Millions of people suffer from a severe lack of quality sleep, often without realizing why. While sleep can be disrupted for many reasons, one of the most serious—and underdiagnosed—causes is obstructive sleep apnea (OSA): a condition where the tongue and soft tissues block the airway during sleep, making it hard or impossible to breathe.

In the U.S., an estimated 6 million people have been diagnosed with sleep apnea—but over 23 million more are believed to be suffering from it without a diagnosis.

Although overweight men have historically been considered the highest risk group, we now know that children, teens, women, and even fit individuals can suffer from airway obstruction during sleep.

The Sleep-Disordered Breathing Spectrum

Sleep-disordered breathing is not a black-and-white condition. It moves along a continuum:

  • Mouth breathing and snoring: Early signs of airway collapse or poor muscle tone

  • Upper Airway Resistance Syndrome (UARS): Your body struggles to keep the airway open, often without noticeable drops in oxygen

  • Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA): The airway becomes partially or completely blocked, leading to repeated stops in breathing throughout the night

Many people with UARS or even mild sleep apnea are never diagnosed—especially with home sleep studies. That’s because oxygen levels might not drop enough or breathing might not stop long enough to meet diagnostic thresholds. However, the body is still under stress, experiencing frequent Respiratory Effort-Related Arousals (RERAs) that prevent deep, restful sleep.

Signs of Poor Sleep

If you’re experiencing any of the following, your sleep may be compromised—even if you’re getting a “full night’s rest”:

  • Difficulty falling asleep (taking 30+ minutes)

  • Trouble staying asleep

  • Waking up feeling unrefreshed

  • Daytime fatigue or drowsiness

Symptoms of a Sleep-Breathing Disorder

All of the above, plus:

  • Loud or chronic snoring

  • Waking at night to urinate

  • Struggling to breathe while sleeping

  • Witnessed apneas (pauses in breathing)

  • High blood pressure

  • Weight gain or difficulty losing weight

  • Mood swings, irritability, or emotional dysregulation

  • Difficulty concentrating or forgetfulness

  • Depression, anxiety, or panic

  • Frequent accidents, falls, or slow reflexes

Poor sleep affects every system in the body.

Sleep-disordered breathing has been linked to:

  • Cancer (higher cancer mortality rates)

  • Diabetes

  • Stroke

  • Heart disease and heart failure

  • Alzheimer’s and dementia

  • High blood pressure

  • COPD

  • Allergies and sinus issues

  • Weakened immune function

  • Frequent upper respiratory infections

  • Vitamin and mineral deficiencies

  • Hormonal imbalances

  • Preeclampsia and gestational complications

  • ADD/ADHD

  • Digestive problems and acid reflux

  • Dysphagia (trouble swallowing)

  • Gut dysbiosis and leaky gut

  • Food intolerances

  • Liver and thyroid issues

  • Lymph stagnation

  • Anxiety and depression

  • Chronic fatigue

  • Improper growth and facial development

  • TMJ dysfunction and clenching

  • Tooth wear, cracks, or broken teeth

  • Periodontal (gum) disease

Recent research shows that myofunctional therapy can reduce the apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) by approximately 50% in adults and 62% in children. It can also serve as a powerful adjunct to traditional treatments like CPAP, oral sleep appliances, or surgery.

The primary goal of myofunctional therapy is to support airway health by improving the tone, coordination, and function of the muscles that help keep the airway open—including the tongue, lips, soft palate, and throat.

Guest User
Previous

Temporomandibular Joint Disorder (TMJD)
Next

Mouth Breathing