Sleep apnea does not go away on its own, although some of the conditions and structural factors that cause it can be treated and reversed. For instance, a septoplasty can fix a deviated septum that is reducing airflow, resulting in sleep apnea.
There’s no cure for sleep apnea, but treatments and lifestyle changes may reduce yoursleep apnea symptoms. Losing weight can lower the risk ofsleep apneadue toobesity.Therapies like continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) can limit your health risk and improve prognosis.
Causes
Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) occurs when any part of the airway from the tip of the nose to the lungs collapses during sleep and disrupts breathing. As such, it is often due to a person’s underlying anatomy.Human anatomy tends to remain fixed, especially after adolescence has ended.
As a result, sleep apnea in adults does not usually go away. Butsleep apnea in childrencan be successfully and definitively treated.
Some causes of obstructive sleep apnea include the following:
Other causes of sleep apnea include structural changes in the airway anatomy, such as:
In some cases, these conditions can be treated with surgery or lifestyle changes. Keep in mind that othertypes of sleep apnea, including central apnea due to nervous system function, are possible and may require different care.
What Are the Chances of Dying From Sleep Apnea?If you don’t treat your sleep apnea, it can lead to serious and potentially life-threatening conditions. The American Heart Association estimates as many as 40% to 80% of people diagnosed with cardiac (heart) conditions, includinghigh blood pressureand heart failure, also have underlying sleep apnea.Sleep apnea significantly increases therisk of death.
What Are the Chances of Dying From Sleep Apnea?
If you don’t treat your sleep apnea, it can lead to serious and potentially life-threatening conditions. The American Heart Association estimates as many as 40% to 80% of people diagnosed with cardiac (heart) conditions, includinghigh blood pressureand heart failure, also have underlying sleep apnea.Sleep apnea significantly increases therisk of death.
Treatment
In most cases, there is no permanent fix for sleep apnea but treatment can reduce the risk of complications and premature death. Treatment interventions include:
In children, these treatment options often lead to a permanent resolution of symptoms:
Lifestyle Changes
You may also be able to improve your symptoms through simple lifestyle changes like losing weight and increasing your daily activity.
Other steps you can take include:
There’s some evidence that not using alcohol before bedtime can limit sleep apnea symptoms.You also can avoid caffeine, large meals before bedtime, and sedation or sleep aid medications.
Can you live a long life with sleep apnea?
Summary
Sleep apnea can be treated, although a cure is not possible in many cases. Surgical treatment in children (whose bodies are still growing) often delivers positive results.
Contact your healthcare provider about symptoms if you have sleep apnea concerns. Asleep specialistis trained to assess and diagnose obstructive sleep apnea and other sleep-related disorders. Your healthcare provider can help you to find one and to learn more about sleep apnea treatment options.
17 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Liu SY, Riley RW, Yu MS.Surgical algorithm for obstructive sleep apnea: An update.Clin Exp Otorhinolaryngol. 2020 Aug;13(3):215-224. doi:10.21053/ceo.2020.01053Carneiro-Barrera A, Amaro-Gahete FJ, Jurado-Fasoli L, et al.Effect of a weight loss and lifestyle intervention on dietary behavior in men with obstructive sleep apnea: The INTERAPNEA trial.Nutrients. 2022;14(13):2731. doi:10.3390/nu14132731Shah JA, George A, Chauhan N, Francis S.Obstructive sleep apnea: Role of an otorhinolaryngologist.Indian J Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2016;68(1):71-4. doi:10.1007/s12070-015-0922-8MedlinePlus.Pediatric sleep apnea.Gray EL, McKenzie DK, Eckert DJ.Obstructive sleep apnea without obesity is common and difficult to treat: Evidence for a distinct pathophysiological phenotype.J Clin Sleep Med. 2017;13(1):81-88. doi:10.5664/jcsm.6394Simou E, Britton J, Leonardi-Bee J.Alcohol and the risk of sleep apnea: A systematic review and meta-analysis.Sleep Med. 2018;42:38-46. doi:10.1016/j.sleep.2017.12.005Yeghiazarians Y, Jneid H, Tietjens JR, Redline S, Brown DL, El-Sherif N,et al.Obstructive sleep apnea and cardiovascular disease: A scientific statement from the American Heart Association.Circulation. 2021 Jul 20;144(3):e56-e67. doi:10.1161/CIR.0000000000000988Aboussouan LS, Bhat A, Coy T, Kominsky A.Treatments for obstructive sleep apnea: CPAP and beyond.Cleve Clin J Med. 2023 Dec 1;90(12):755-765. doi:10.3949/ccjm.90a.23032Cao MT, Sternbach JM, Guilleminault C.Continuous positive airway pressure therapy in obstuctive sleep apnea: Benefits and alternatives.Expert Rev Respir Med. 2017;11(4):259-272. doi:10.1080/17476348.2017.1305893Food and Drug Administration.Fda approves first medication for obstructive sleep apnea.Olson MD, Junna MR.Hypoglossal nerve stimulation therapy for the treatment of obstructive sleep apnea.Neurotherapeutics. 2021;18(1):91-99. doi:10.1007/s13311-021-01012-xReckley LK, Fernandez-Salvador C, Camacho M.The effect of tonsillectomy on obstructive sleep apnea: An overview of systematic reviews.Nat Sci Sleep. 2018;10:105-110. doi:10.2147/NSS.S127816Wang SH, Keenan BT, Wiemken A, Zang Y, Staley B, Sarwer DB,et al.Effect of weight loss on upper airway anatomy and the apnea-hypopnea index. The importance of tongue fat.Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 2020;201(6):718-727. doi:10.1164/rccm.201903-0692OCRousseau E, Silva C, Gakwaya S, Sériès F.Effects of one-week tongue task training on sleep apnea severity: A pilot study.Can Respir J. 2015;22(3):176-8. doi:10.1155/2015/583549Pataka A, Kotoulas S, Kalamaras G, Tzinas A, Grigoriou I, Kasnaki N,et al.Does smoking affect OSA? What about smoking cessation?J Clin Med. 2022 Aug 31;11(17):5164. doi:10.3390/jcm11175164Peng J, Yuan Y, Zhao Y, Ren H.Effects of exercise on patients with obstructive sleep apnea: A systematic review and meta-analysis.Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022;19(17):10845. doi:10.3390/ijerph191710845Lisan Q, Van Sloten T, Marques Vidal P, Haba Rubio J, Heinzer R, Empana JP.Association of positive airway pressure prescription with mortality in patients With obesity and severe obstructive sleep apnea: The Sleep Heart Health Study.JAMA Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2019;145(6):509-515. doi:10.1001/jamaoto.2019.0281Additional ReadingAwad MI, Kacker A.Nasal obstruction considerations in sleep apnea.Otolaryngol Clin North Am. 2018;51:1003-1009. doi:10.1016/j.otc.2018.05.012Beranger T, Garreau E, Ferri J, Raoul G.Morphological impact on patients of maxillomandibular advancement surgery for the treatment of obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome.Int Orthod.2017;15(1):43-53. doi:10.1016/j.ortho.2016.12.013Huang YS, Guilleminault C.Pediatric obstructive sleep apnea: where do we stand?Adv Otorhinolaryngol. 2017;80:136-144. doi:10.1159/000470885Joosten SA, Khoo JK, Edwards BA, et al.Improvement in obstructive sleep apnea with weight loss is dependent on body position during sleep.Sleep. 2017;40(5):zsx047. doi:10.1093/sleep/zsx047
17 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Liu SY, Riley RW, Yu MS.Surgical algorithm for obstructive sleep apnea: An update.Clin Exp Otorhinolaryngol. 2020 Aug;13(3):215-224. doi:10.21053/ceo.2020.01053Carneiro-Barrera A, Amaro-Gahete FJ, Jurado-Fasoli L, et al.Effect of a weight loss and lifestyle intervention on dietary behavior in men with obstructive sleep apnea: The INTERAPNEA trial.Nutrients. 2022;14(13):2731. doi:10.3390/nu14132731Shah JA, George A, Chauhan N, Francis S.Obstructive sleep apnea: Role of an otorhinolaryngologist.Indian J Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2016;68(1):71-4. doi:10.1007/s12070-015-0922-8MedlinePlus.Pediatric sleep apnea.Gray EL, McKenzie DK, Eckert DJ.Obstructive sleep apnea without obesity is common and difficult to treat: Evidence for a distinct pathophysiological phenotype.J Clin Sleep Med. 2017;13(1):81-88. doi:10.5664/jcsm.6394Simou E, Britton J, Leonardi-Bee J.Alcohol and the risk of sleep apnea: A systematic review and meta-analysis.Sleep Med. 2018;42:38-46. doi:10.1016/j.sleep.2017.12.005Yeghiazarians Y, Jneid H, Tietjens JR, Redline S, Brown DL, El-Sherif N,et al.Obstructive sleep apnea and cardiovascular disease: A scientific statement from the American Heart Association.Circulation. 2021 Jul 20;144(3):e56-e67. doi:10.1161/CIR.0000000000000988Aboussouan LS, Bhat A, Coy T, Kominsky A.Treatments for obstructive sleep apnea: CPAP and beyond.Cleve Clin J Med. 2023 Dec 1;90(12):755-765. doi:10.3949/ccjm.90a.23032Cao MT, Sternbach JM, Guilleminault C.Continuous positive airway pressure therapy in obstuctive sleep apnea: Benefits and alternatives.Expert Rev Respir Med. 2017;11(4):259-272. doi:10.1080/17476348.2017.1305893Food and Drug Administration.Fda approves first medication for obstructive sleep apnea.Olson MD, Junna MR.Hypoglossal nerve stimulation therapy for the treatment of obstructive sleep apnea.Neurotherapeutics. 2021;18(1):91-99. doi:10.1007/s13311-021-01012-xReckley LK, Fernandez-Salvador C, Camacho M.The effect of tonsillectomy on obstructive sleep apnea: An overview of systematic reviews.Nat Sci Sleep. 2018;10:105-110. doi:10.2147/NSS.S127816Wang SH, Keenan BT, Wiemken A, Zang Y, Staley B, Sarwer DB,et al.Effect of weight loss on upper airway anatomy and the apnea-hypopnea index. The importance of tongue fat.Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 2020;201(6):718-727. doi:10.1164/rccm.201903-0692OCRousseau E, Silva C, Gakwaya S, Sériès F.Effects of one-week tongue task training on sleep apnea severity: A pilot study.Can Respir J. 2015;22(3):176-8. doi:10.1155/2015/583549Pataka A, Kotoulas S, Kalamaras G, Tzinas A, Grigoriou I, Kasnaki N,et al.Does smoking affect OSA? What about smoking cessation?J Clin Med. 2022 Aug 31;11(17):5164. doi:10.3390/jcm11175164Peng J, Yuan Y, Zhao Y, Ren H.Effects of exercise on patients with obstructive sleep apnea: A systematic review and meta-analysis.Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022;19(17):10845. doi:10.3390/ijerph191710845Lisan Q, Van Sloten T, Marques Vidal P, Haba Rubio J, Heinzer R, Empana JP.Association of positive airway pressure prescription with mortality in patients With obesity and severe obstructive sleep apnea: The Sleep Heart Health Study.JAMA Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2019;145(6):509-515. doi:10.1001/jamaoto.2019.0281Additional ReadingAwad MI, Kacker A.Nasal obstruction considerations in sleep apnea.Otolaryngol Clin North Am. 2018;51:1003-1009. doi:10.1016/j.otc.2018.05.012Beranger T, Garreau E, Ferri J, Raoul G.Morphological impact on patients of maxillomandibular advancement surgery for the treatment of obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome.Int Orthod.2017;15(1):43-53. doi:10.1016/j.ortho.2016.12.013Huang YS, Guilleminault C.Pediatric obstructive sleep apnea: where do we stand?Adv Otorhinolaryngol. 2017;80:136-144. doi:10.1159/000470885Joosten SA, Khoo JK, Edwards BA, et al.Improvement in obstructive sleep apnea with weight loss is dependent on body position during sleep.Sleep. 2017;40(5):zsx047. doi:10.1093/sleep/zsx047
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Liu SY, Riley RW, Yu MS.Surgical algorithm for obstructive sleep apnea: An update.Clin Exp Otorhinolaryngol. 2020 Aug;13(3):215-224. doi:10.21053/ceo.2020.01053Carneiro-Barrera A, Amaro-Gahete FJ, Jurado-Fasoli L, et al.Effect of a weight loss and lifestyle intervention on dietary behavior in men with obstructive sleep apnea: The INTERAPNEA trial.Nutrients. 2022;14(13):2731. doi:10.3390/nu14132731Shah JA, George A, Chauhan N, Francis S.Obstructive sleep apnea: Role of an otorhinolaryngologist.Indian J Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2016;68(1):71-4. doi:10.1007/s12070-015-0922-8MedlinePlus.Pediatric sleep apnea.Gray EL, McKenzie DK, Eckert DJ.Obstructive sleep apnea without obesity is common and difficult to treat: Evidence for a distinct pathophysiological phenotype.J Clin Sleep Med. 2017;13(1):81-88. doi:10.5664/jcsm.6394Simou E, Britton J, Leonardi-Bee J.Alcohol and the risk of sleep apnea: A systematic review and meta-analysis.Sleep Med. 2018;42:38-46. doi:10.1016/j.sleep.2017.12.005Yeghiazarians Y, Jneid H, Tietjens JR, Redline S, Brown DL, El-Sherif N,et al.Obstructive sleep apnea and cardiovascular disease: A scientific statement from the American Heart Association.Circulation. 2021 Jul 20;144(3):e56-e67. doi:10.1161/CIR.0000000000000988Aboussouan LS, Bhat A, Coy T, Kominsky A.Treatments for obstructive sleep apnea: CPAP and beyond.Cleve Clin J Med. 2023 Dec 1;90(12):755-765. doi:10.3949/ccjm.90a.23032Cao MT, Sternbach JM, Guilleminault C.Continuous positive airway pressure therapy in obstuctive sleep apnea: Benefits and alternatives.Expert Rev Respir Med. 2017;11(4):259-272. doi:10.1080/17476348.2017.1305893Food and Drug Administration.Fda approves first medication for obstructive sleep apnea.Olson MD, Junna MR.Hypoglossal nerve stimulation therapy for the treatment of obstructive sleep apnea.Neurotherapeutics. 2021;18(1):91-99. doi:10.1007/s13311-021-01012-xReckley LK, Fernandez-Salvador C, Camacho M.The effect of tonsillectomy on obstructive sleep apnea: An overview of systematic reviews.Nat Sci Sleep. 2018;10:105-110. doi:10.2147/NSS.S127816Wang SH, Keenan BT, Wiemken A, Zang Y, Staley B, Sarwer DB,et al.Effect of weight loss on upper airway anatomy and the apnea-hypopnea index. The importance of tongue fat.Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 2020;201(6):718-727. doi:10.1164/rccm.201903-0692OCRousseau E, Silva C, Gakwaya S, Sériès F.Effects of one-week tongue task training on sleep apnea severity: A pilot study.Can Respir J. 2015;22(3):176-8. doi:10.1155/2015/583549Pataka A, Kotoulas S, Kalamaras G, Tzinas A, Grigoriou I, Kasnaki N,et al.Does smoking affect OSA? What about smoking cessation?J Clin Med. 2022 Aug 31;11(17):5164. doi:10.3390/jcm11175164Peng J, Yuan Y, Zhao Y, Ren H.Effects of exercise on patients with obstructive sleep apnea: A systematic review and meta-analysis.Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022;19(17):10845. doi:10.3390/ijerph191710845Lisan Q, Van Sloten T, Marques Vidal P, Haba Rubio J, Heinzer R, Empana JP.Association of positive airway pressure prescription with mortality in patients With obesity and severe obstructive sleep apnea: The Sleep Heart Health Study.JAMA Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2019;145(6):509-515. doi:10.1001/jamaoto.2019.0281
Liu SY, Riley RW, Yu MS.Surgical algorithm for obstructive sleep apnea: An update.Clin Exp Otorhinolaryngol. 2020 Aug;13(3):215-224. doi:10.21053/ceo.2020.01053
Carneiro-Barrera A, Amaro-Gahete FJ, Jurado-Fasoli L, et al.Effect of a weight loss and lifestyle intervention on dietary behavior in men with obstructive sleep apnea: The INTERAPNEA trial.Nutrients. 2022;14(13):2731. doi:10.3390/nu14132731
Shah JA, George A, Chauhan N, Francis S.Obstructive sleep apnea: Role of an otorhinolaryngologist.Indian J Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2016;68(1):71-4. doi:10.1007/s12070-015-0922-8
MedlinePlus.Pediatric sleep apnea.
Gray EL, McKenzie DK, Eckert DJ.Obstructive sleep apnea without obesity is common and difficult to treat: Evidence for a distinct pathophysiological phenotype.J Clin Sleep Med. 2017;13(1):81-88. doi:10.5664/jcsm.6394
Simou E, Britton J, Leonardi-Bee J.Alcohol and the risk of sleep apnea: A systematic review and meta-analysis.Sleep Med. 2018;42:38-46. doi:10.1016/j.sleep.2017.12.005
Yeghiazarians Y, Jneid H, Tietjens JR, Redline S, Brown DL, El-Sherif N,et al.Obstructive sleep apnea and cardiovascular disease: A scientific statement from the American Heart Association.Circulation. 2021 Jul 20;144(3):e56-e67. doi:10.1161/CIR.0000000000000988
Aboussouan LS, Bhat A, Coy T, Kominsky A.Treatments for obstructive sleep apnea: CPAP and beyond.Cleve Clin J Med. 2023 Dec 1;90(12):755-765. doi:10.3949/ccjm.90a.23032
Cao MT, Sternbach JM, Guilleminault C.Continuous positive airway pressure therapy in obstuctive sleep apnea: Benefits and alternatives.Expert Rev Respir Med. 2017;11(4):259-272. doi:10.1080/17476348.2017.1305893
Food and Drug Administration.Fda approves first medication for obstructive sleep apnea.
Olson MD, Junna MR.Hypoglossal nerve stimulation therapy for the treatment of obstructive sleep apnea.Neurotherapeutics. 2021;18(1):91-99. doi:10.1007/s13311-021-01012-x
Reckley LK, Fernandez-Salvador C, Camacho M.The effect of tonsillectomy on obstructive sleep apnea: An overview of systematic reviews.Nat Sci Sleep. 2018;10:105-110. doi:10.2147/NSS.S127816
Wang SH, Keenan BT, Wiemken A, Zang Y, Staley B, Sarwer DB,et al.Effect of weight loss on upper airway anatomy and the apnea-hypopnea index. The importance of tongue fat.Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 2020;201(6):718-727. doi:10.1164/rccm.201903-0692OC
Rousseau E, Silva C, Gakwaya S, Sériès F.Effects of one-week tongue task training on sleep apnea severity: A pilot study.Can Respir J. 2015;22(3):176-8. doi:10.1155/2015/583549
Pataka A, Kotoulas S, Kalamaras G, Tzinas A, Grigoriou I, Kasnaki N,et al.Does smoking affect OSA? What about smoking cessation?J Clin Med. 2022 Aug 31;11(17):5164. doi:10.3390/jcm11175164
Peng J, Yuan Y, Zhao Y, Ren H.Effects of exercise on patients with obstructive sleep apnea: A systematic review and meta-analysis.Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022;19(17):10845. doi:10.3390/ijerph191710845
Lisan Q, Van Sloten T, Marques Vidal P, Haba Rubio J, Heinzer R, Empana JP.Association of positive airway pressure prescription with mortality in patients With obesity and severe obstructive sleep apnea: The Sleep Heart Health Study.JAMA Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2019;145(6):509-515. doi:10.1001/jamaoto.2019.0281
Awad MI, Kacker A.Nasal obstruction considerations in sleep apnea.Otolaryngol Clin North Am. 2018;51:1003-1009. doi:10.1016/j.otc.2018.05.012Beranger T, Garreau E, Ferri J, Raoul G.Morphological impact on patients of maxillomandibular advancement surgery for the treatment of obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome.Int Orthod.2017;15(1):43-53. doi:10.1016/j.ortho.2016.12.013Huang YS, Guilleminault C.Pediatric obstructive sleep apnea: where do we stand?Adv Otorhinolaryngol. 2017;80:136-144. doi:10.1159/000470885Joosten SA, Khoo JK, Edwards BA, et al.Improvement in obstructive sleep apnea with weight loss is dependent on body position during sleep.Sleep. 2017;40(5):zsx047. doi:10.1093/sleep/zsx047
Awad MI, Kacker A.Nasal obstruction considerations in sleep apnea.Otolaryngol Clin North Am. 2018;51:1003-1009. doi:10.1016/j.otc.2018.05.012
Beranger T, Garreau E, Ferri J, Raoul G.Morphological impact on patients of maxillomandibular advancement surgery for the treatment of obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome.Int Orthod.2017;15(1):43-53. doi:10.1016/j.ortho.2016.12.013
Huang YS, Guilleminault C.Pediatric obstructive sleep apnea: where do we stand?Adv Otorhinolaryngol. 2017;80:136-144. doi:10.1159/000470885
Joosten SA, Khoo JK, Edwards BA, et al.Improvement in obstructive sleep apnea with weight loss is dependent on body position during sleep.Sleep. 2017;40(5):zsx047. doi:10.1093/sleep/zsx047
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