Overview
Obstructive Sleep Apnoea (OSA) is a sleep breathing disorder that interferes with normal airflow during sleep. The throat muscles and surrounding soft tissues naturally become more relaxed when a person is asleep. In people with OSA, these tissues repeatedly narrow or block the upper airway. This reduces or briefly stops the flow of air into the lungs and may lower the oxygen level in the blood.
The brain responds by briefly waking the person so that normal breathing can resume. These awakenings are often so short that the person does not remember them. However, their partner may notice loud snoring, choking sounds or pauses in breathing. Repeated interruptions can cause morning headaches, poor concentration and excessive daytime sleepiness.
Sarvodaya Hospital, one of the best pulmonology and sleep medicine hospitals in Delhi NCR, provides sleep studies and personalised Obstructive Sleep Apnoea treatment. Depending on the cause and severity of OSA, treatment may include positive airway pressure therapy, lifestyle changes, oral appliances or other suitable options.
Symptoms of Obstructive Sleep Apnoea
- Loud and frequent snoring
- Breathing pauses noticed by another person
- Gasping, snorting or choking during sleep
- Restless or broken sleep
- Waking with a dry mouth
- Morning headaches
- Excessive daytime sleepiness
- Difficulty concentrating
- Irritability or mood changes
Causes of Obstructive Sleep Apnoea
- Excess soft tissue around the upper airway
- Enlarged tonsils or adenoids
- A large tongue or a small lower jaw
- Nasal blockage or long-term congestion
- Reduced muscle tone in the throat
- Structural differences in the nose, mouth or throat
Risk Factors for Obstructive Sleep Apnoea
Some people have a higher chance of developing OSA.
Important risk factors include:
- Excess Weight: Tissue around the neck can narrow the upper airway.
- Age: OSA becomes more common with age, although it can occur at any stage of life.
- Sex and Hormonal Changes: OSA is more common in men. The risk may rise in women after menopause.
- Family History: Inherited airway shape and other traits may increase the risk.
- Alcohol or Sedative Use: These substances can relax the throat muscles further.
- Smoking: Tobacco smoke can inflame the tissues around the airway and make it more likely to narrow during sleep.
- Related Health Conditions: High blood pressure, diabetes and some heart or hormonal conditions often occur alongside OSA.
Diagnosis of Obstructive Sleep Apnoea
A detailed assessment can identify signs of OSA and help rule out other sleep problems. A sleep study can confirm the condition and show its severity.
- Clinical Assessment: The doctor reviews symptoms, sleep habits, medicines and related health conditions.
- Sleep Questionnaires: The doctor may ask about your sleep, snoring and daytime tiredness. Your answers can show whether you may have OSA, but a sleep study is needed to confirm it.
- Polysomnography Test: This overnight study records airflow, breathing effort, oxygen levels, heart rate, brain activity and body movements.
- Apnoea Hypopnea Index (AHI): This is the average number of times breathing stops or becomes shallow during one hour of sleep. Doctors use it to classify OSA as mild, moderate or severe in adults.
- Home Sleep Apnoea Test: Some adults may be able to take a simpler sleep test at home. An in-lab study may still be needed if the result is unclear.
- Airway Evaluation: The doctor may examine the nose, throat and jaw to identify possible blockage.
Those searching online for a polysomnography test near me in Delhi NCR can visit Sarvodaya Hospital’s sleep study lab. A sleep specialist reviews the findings to confirm OSA, determine its severity and recommend suitable treatment.
Treatment Options & Technology for Obstructive Sleep Apnoea
Doctors choose Sleep Apnoea treatment after considering the person’s symptoms, AHI score, other health conditions and the reason their airway becomes blocked during sleep.
The care plan may include:
- Lifestyle and Weight Management: Healthy weight loss may reduce OSA severity in people who are overweight.
- Positional Therapy: OSA may become worse when a person sleeps on their back because the tongue and other soft tissues can move backwards and narrow the airway. Sleeping on the side or using a special pillow or device to maintain this position may reduce breathing interruptions.
- Positive Airway Pressure Therapy: A CPAP machine sends a steady flow of air through a mask. This helps prevent the airway from closing while the person sleeps. APAP adjusts the pressure automatically, while BiPAP uses different pressure levels for breathing in and out. The doctor recommends the right device based on the person’s needs.
- Oral Appliance Therapy for Sleep Apnoea: A custom-made appliance moves the lower jaw or tongue forward. It may suit some people with mild to moderate OSA or those who cannot tolerate CPAP.
- Treatment of Airway Problems: Medical or surgical care may help when nasal blockage or enlarged tonsils contribute to OSA.
- Inspire Therapy for Sleep Apnoea: This treatment involves placing a small implant that stimulates the nerve controlling tongue movement. It helps prevent the airway from closing during sleep. A doctor may assess whether it is suitable for people with moderate or severe OSA who find CPAP or similar devices difficult to use.
Benefits of Early OSA Treatment
Effective treatment may improve night-time breathing and daytime functioning.
Possible benefits include:
- More Restful Sleep: Treatment can reduce sleep disruption caused by repeated pauses in breathing.
- Better Daytime Alertness: Improved sleep may reduce tiredness and unintended dozing.
- Improved Focus and Mood: Restful sleep may support concentration and emotional well-being.
- Safer Daily Activities: Reducing sleepiness may lower the risk of road or workplace accidents.
- Support for Overall Health: Treating OSA may also support the management of high blood pressure, heart disease and diabetes.
- Less Snoring: Successful treatment may also improve sleep for the patient’s partner.
Complications if Left Untreated
Each time the airway becomes blocked, breathing may stop briefly, the oxygen level in the blood may fall and the brain may wake the person enough to restart breathing. If this cycle happens many times during the night, the person may not get enough restful sleep.
Over time, untreated OSA may be associated with:
- Persistent daytime sleepiness and fatigue
- Poor concentration, memory problems and mood changes
- Road or workplace accidents caused by drowsiness
- High blood pressure
- Irregular heart rhythms and other heart problems
- A higher risk of heart attack or stroke
- Poor control of diabetes or other metabolic conditions
- Pulmonary hypertension in some patients
When Should You See a Doctor?
Consult a pulmonologist or sleep medicine specialist if you experience:
- Loud snoring with breathing pauses
- Waking with choking or gasping
- Persistent daytime sleepiness
- Morning headaches or unrefreshing sleep
- Difficulty concentrating despite enough time in bed
- OSA symptoms with obesity, high blood pressure, heart disease or diabetes
Do not drive if you feel likely to fall asleep at the wheel. Arrange a medical assessment as soon as possible.
Prevention & Lifestyle Modifications
OSA cannot always be prevented because some risk factors cannot be changed. For example, a person may naturally have a narrow upper airway, enlarged tonsils, a larger tongue or a smaller lower jaw. These features can make the airway more likely to become blocked during sleep.
However, the following steps may reduce the severity of OSA or help the prescribed treatment work more effectively:
- Maintain a healthy weight
- Exercise regularly, as advised
- Sleep on your side if recommended
- Limit alcohol, especially near bedtime
- Avoid smoking
- Do not use sleeping tablets or sedatives without medical advice
- Seek treatment for persistent nasal blockage
- Use CPAP or an oral appliance as prescribed
Pre-Post Treatment Care
Pre-Treatment
- Pulmonology and sleep medicine consultation
- Review of symptoms, medicines and health conditions
- Physical and upper airway assessment
- Polysomnography or a home sleep test when suitable
- Discussion of treatment choices and possible side effects
Post-Treatment
- Review of AHI and oxygen levels
- PAP mask fitting and pressure adjustment
- Regular use and cleaning of the prescribed device
- Dental follow-up for patients using an oral appliance
- Wound or device checks after surgery or implant therapy
- Repeat sleep testing when advised
Reviewed & Updated On
Reviewed by Dr. Pankaj Chhabra Director & Head (Unit II) - Pulmonology & Sleep Medicine on 18 July 2026.
