
21. Causes and Risk Factors of Sleep Apnea
Having an increased risk of developing obstructive sleep apnea is connected with several different lifestyle factors. Many things can come into play as far as the lifestyle you lead. How do you take care of yourself? Risk factors for developing obstructive sleep apnea include being overweight, smoking, drinking alcohol or sedatives excessively, and having Type 2 Diabetes. These causes also overlap with those that can increase your risk of having a stroke.
The factors described above are ones that you can do something about to decrease your chances of developing sleep apnea. However, several other somewhat unavoidable factors can also increase your chances. These include being male, older, and having a family history of sleep apnea. Others involve having a larger neck circumference or having a narrowed airway. If you have other previous heart and other medical conditions, it may increase your risk.