In extremely rare cases, central sleep apnea can be linked to genetics, but genes are a much more common culprit in obstructive sleep apnea. Some studies estimate that nearly 75% of people with obstructive sleep apnea inherited the disorder in some way.
This article with explore the different types of sleep apnea, how genetics may be involved, and what to expect with a sleep apnea diagnosis.
What Is Sleep Apnea?
Sleep apnea is a chronic condition where your breathing is interrupted as you sleep. These disruptions can last for 10 seconds or more, and occur several times an hour. In severe cases of sleep apnea, your breathing could stop hundreds of times in a single night.
Symptoms
The main symptom of sleep apnea is a pause in your breathing during sleep. However, there are a number of other issues that can signal this disorder as well, including:
Central sleep apnea develops when the signals that your brain sends to your respiratory system are disrupted. This causes pauses in your breathing.
With obstructive sleep apnea, obesity or abnormal structures in the mouth or throat cause your airway to become partially or even completely blocked. When this happens, your breathing can stop.
Complex sleep apnea is a combination of both central and obstructive sleep apnea.
Snoring Choking or gasping sounds Frequent waking at night A dry mouth when you wake up Morning headaches Difficulty concentrating Daytime sleepiness Mood changes or depression
Diagnosis
A sleep apnea diagnosis is usually made with a sleep study. In this study, called a polysomnograph, you will need to spend several hours asleep in a lab while different measurements of your health are taken. Your heart rate, movements, and breathing patterns will all be observed, and your healthcare provider will use this information to diagnose and rate your level of sleep apnea.
These tests can also provide clues as to what type of sleep apnea you have. Testing your brain waves and nerve signals during your sleep study can identify central sleep apnea.
Is Sleep Apnea Hereditary?
Genetics can play a role in some types of sleep apnea. Central sleep apnea usually has non-genetic causes that are not hereditary. Obstructive sleep apnea, on the other hand, can be linked to genetics in several ways.
Central Sleep Apnea
Central sleep apnea is usually a direct result of signal interruptions that are sent to your respiratory system to take breaths while you sleep. There is a rare type of central sleep apnea, called Congenital Central Hypoventilation Syndrome (CCHS) that is genetic, but in most cases, this type of sleep apnea is caused by other factors like:
Narcotics or other drug use Head trauma Brain tumors Stroke Heart conditions Neuromuscular disease Altitude
Some of these things, like heart conditions and neuromuscular disease, can be inherited, but sleep apnea itself isn’t caused by a particular gene with these conditions.
Obstructive Sleep Apnea
Unlike central sleep apnea, obstructive sleep apnea is linked to genetics in several ways.
First, many of the risk factors that can lead to sleep apnea—like high blood pressure and heart disease—carry a hereditary component to them. If you have a family history of conditions that increase your risk for sleep apnea, you should talk to your healthcare provider about any symptoms you might be having.
On top of an increased risk from these inherited conditions, there are also specific genes that have been linked to the development of sleep apnea. These include:
Angiopoietin-2 gene (ANGPT2)−308G/A polymorphism of the tumor necrosis factor-α (TNFα)Prostaglandin E2 receptor EP3 subtype (PTGER3)Lysophosphatidic acid receptor 1 (LPAR1)G-protein receptor gene (GPR83)β-arrestin 1 gene (ARRB1)Dopamine receptor D1 encoding gene (DRD1)Serotonin receptor encoding gene (HTR2A)
Other Causes
Even though some cases of obstructive sleep apnea are hereditary, genetics are not the only cause. Other causes of sleep apnea include:
Obesity Prematurity Endocrine disorders Neuromuscular conditions Heart failure Kidney disease Enlarged tonsils Abnormal physical structures in the mouth or throat
Risk Factors
Even without a structural or genetic condition, there are other disorders or diseases that can increase your risk of developing sleep apnea. More than 80% of people with sleep apnea have other medical conditions like:
High blood pressure Stroke Irregular heartbeat (arrhythmia) Metabolic syndrome Diabetes COPD Asthma Kidney disease
Lifestyle choices can also put you at risk of developing sleep apnea. Some of these include:
SmokingPoor dietLack of exerciseObesity
Prevention
While you can’t control the genetic predisposition to sleep apnea, you can make choices that can help you avoid developing conditions that increase your risk for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), like obesity and high blood pressure.
There are some symptoms, though, that warrant quicker action. If you have symptoms like severe shortness of breath, confusion, blueish lips or nails, or you wake up with difficulty breathing, you should seek medical help right away.
Some of the things you can do to reduce your risk of developing sleep apnea include:
Avoid alcoholDon’t use sleep medications or muscle relaxersQuit smokingLose weightExerciseSleep on your side instead of your back
A Word From Verywell
There are many types of sleep disorders—and all kinds of diseases that are inherited by genes passed down through families. You can inherit sleep apnea, or a condition that can increase your risk of developing sleep apnea. Be sure to talk to your healthcare provider about your personal and family medical history, as well as your sleep and other lifestyle habits.
