Sarah Bence, OTR/L, is an occupational therapist and freelance writer.

Kashif J. Piracha, MD, is a board-certified physician with over 14 years of experience treating patients in acute care hospitals and rehabilitation facilities.

Sleep apnea is a relatively common sleep disorder in which a person experiences many breathing pauses during a night's sleep. Sleep apnea puts a person at higher risk for heart disease, diabetes, stroke, and more, so it's essential to treat it to prevent serious health complications.

This articles discusses the various treatment options for sleep apnea.

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Sleep apnea occurs when people have pauses in breathing, sometimes lasting 10 seconds or longer, during sleep. Some people may have hundreds of these pauses during the night.

This interrupted breathing and fragmented sleep results in physiological changes, including oxygen deprivation and sudden heart rate and blood pressure increase. Over time, this causes changes in the body that can lead to dangerous health complications.

Sleep apnea is more common in people of advanced ages, men, and people with obesity. However, it can occur in women, children, and babies, too.

Sleep apnea symptoms can seriously impact a person's life, from mental health to job performance and interpersonal relationships.

There are various causes of sleep apnea.

Most commonly, there is a physical obstruction of the upper airway, including the nose, tongue, or soft palate. This could be due to structural factors (like a deviated septum or enlarged tonsils ), or other factors like obesity, drinking alcohol or smoking.

Certain medications, like opioids , antihistamines , and benzodiazepines , can also cause sleep apnea.

Obstructive sleep apnea is caused by a physical obstruction of the upper airway, whereas central sleep apnea is caused by a central nervous system malfunction. Both result in breathing pauses during sleep.

There are multiple treatment options available for sleep apnea. The correct treatment for you will depend on individual factors like the severity of your sleep apnea, the root cause, and the type of sleep apnea.

Positive airway pressure (PAP) therapy is usually the first-line treatment for sleep apnea. However, there can be exceptions in cases of mild sleep apnea or when dental appliances are appropriate.

All PAP devices involve a mask covering the nose and mouth and delivering airflow to keep the upper airway open.

There are a few different types of PAP therapy devices. The two most common types include:

Other types of assistive devices to treat sleep apnea include dental appliances or oral mandibular advancement devices. Depending on individual needs, these may advance the lower jaw or stop the tongue from blocking the upper airway.

There are over 100 oral appliances that are approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat sleep apnea. Custom-made oral mandibular advancement devices are effective for mild-moderate sleep apnea.

Dental appliances may be preferred over PAP therapy by some people because it is less invasive and often more affordable and more comfortable.

PAP therapy is highly effective when used consistently and correctly, but it is not a cure for sleep apnea. Apnea episodes will return if PAP therapy is discontinued.

Some lifestyle changes may improve symptoms for people with mild sleep apnea. These recommended changes include:

For some people with sleep apnea, surgery may be appropriate. However, there is expert debate on the role of surgery. Surgery is typically performed if a person does not respond adequately to CPAP therapy and if they have structural obstructions that can be addressed through surgery.

Some surgeries that can treat sleep apnea include:

There are some alternative remedies for sleep apnea that don't involve assistive devices or surgery. You should discuss alternative remedies with your healthcare provider and use them in combination with an approved plan of care.

Some alternative remedies for sleep apnea include:

Leaving your sleep apnea untreated can be extremely risky.

Untreated sleep apnea can lead to serious health complications, like stroke, diabetes, cardiac arrhythmias, high blood pressure, heart attack, heart failure, depression, and more.

Illustration by Jessica Olah / Verywell

Some risk factors for sleep apnea—like age, sex, and genetics—you can't control.

However, there are some modifiable lifestyle factors that you can control, including adopting a healthy diet, reducing or eliminating alcohol (particularly at night), and quitting smoking. These can all help prevent sleep apnea from developing.

Sleep apnea is a common but serious sleep disorder in which a person experiences breathing pauses many times during the night. Mild sleep apnea may be treated with lifestyle changes. Treatment for moderate to severe sleep apnea includes PAP therapy devices, custom dental appliances, and, in some cases, surgery.

Some people hesitate to treat their sleep apnea with lifestyle changes because they can be difficult to make. But the risks of untreated sleep apnea make these changes worth the effort. Treating sleep apnea in whatever form necessary is critical. If you experience sleep apnea symptoms, talk to your healthcare provider about the best treatment for you.

Yes, you can die from sleep apnea. Untreated sleep apnea can cause serious health issues, including stroke, diabetes, heart failure, and sudden cardiac death, among others.

In certain very mild cases of sleep apnea, lifestyle changes, such as losing bodyweight, may cure sleep apnea. For most people, treatment with a CPAP machine or dental device can manage symptoms but must be continued, or symptoms will return.

A sleep apnea episode may sound like a period of quiet (as the person stops breathing) followed by a sudden gasping or choking. This can occur 30+ times per hour, or hundreds of times per night, so it may also sound like loud snoring.

Tossing and turning night over night can have a big impact on your quality of life. Our free guide can help you get the rest you need. Sign up for our newsletter and get it free.

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