There are six potential health hazards you should be aware of . 

You may be at risk of developing obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and not even realise it.   

That is why it is important to learn as much as possible about the disorder – by educating yourself about OSA, you could help reduce your chances of developing it.   

Here we share some of the sleep apnea risk factors. 
 

1. Obesity  
One of the main risk factors for obstructive sleep apnea is obesity.1 It’s not surprising that around two-thirds of people who have OSA are overweight.2 When you’re carrying excess weight, fatty deposits can form in the soft tissue around your upper airway, which can obstruct your breathing as you sleep. While losing weight isn’t a cure for OSA, it can reduce the risk of developing the condition as well as help you manage it.^₁ 
 

2. A narrow airway  
You may be perfectly healthy, but there is an increased risk for sleep apnea if you have a narrow airway, blockages in your nasal cavity, or even a large tongue.⁴ 

While your anatomy is something you do not have control over, you can still be proactive against the risk by talking with your healthcare professionals about ways to manage the condition if it were to develop.   
 

 3. Nasal congestion   
Nasal congestion is considered a contributing factor, rather than a cause of sleep apnea. In other words, it would need to combine with another risk factor for OSA, such as obesity, to be a significant threat.¹ 

If you already have sleep apnea, reducing or eliminating nasal congestion can improve the condition. 
 

4. Being male   
If your biological sex is male, statistically you are more at risk of developing sleep apnea. Research has found the number of people affected by mild to severe OSA numbers between 13 and 33 percent for men and six and 19 percent for women.⁴ 

The primary reason for this is differences in anatomy between the sexes. Women tend to have more stable airways than men, whose throats are larger and more prone to collapse during sleep.   
 

5. Ageing   
Age is another risk factor. As we age, we lose muscle mass and tone, including in the airway. A consequence of this muscle loss is that the airway collapses more easily and is increasingly prone to blockage while we sleep.¹  
 

6. Family history of OSA   
A family history of snoring or sleep apnea could also be factored in as being a possible link to OSA. In fact, it’s estimated that 40% of the time OSA is caused by genetics.⁴ 

The more people in your family who suffer from sleep apnea, the greater the risk is of developing it yourself, especially if these people are directly related to you.  

So, as well as consulting your healthcare professionals, it is a good idea to talk to your parents or even grandparents about whether there is anyone in the family who snores or has sleep apnea.   

Also note that, unlike OSA, central sleep apnea is not a hereditary condition.⁵