Obstructive sleep apnea

Ada's symptom assessment can help you understand whether Obstructive sleep apnea could be behind how you're feeling in minutes, for free.

Obstructive Sleep Apnea is one of the most frequently assessed conditions on Ada's platform — and in nearly 1 in 3 assessments where it appears, it's identified as the single most likely condition.

• Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a condition which causes your breathing to stop and restart frequently while you’re asleep
• Most OSA symptoms occur while you’re asleep, although the interruptions to your sleep can also lead to daytime symptoms such as sleepiness, difficulty concentrating, and changes in mood
• Obstructive sleep apnea treatments exist and can include lifestyle changes, the use of medical devices, and surgery.

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a common condition that affects almost half of the population worldwide. It is often linked to other medical conditions, such as obesity. OSA can lead to the development of serious conditions, which is why it’s important to recognize the symptoms early on. In this article, we’ll give you an overview of OSA causes, symptoms, and treatments. 

OSA is one of the most prevalent chronic conditions in the United States, and one of the most overlooked. A 2025 systematic review published in Respiratory Medicine estimated that approximately 83.7 million American adults (roughly 32% of the adult population) have OSA, with prevalence higher in men (39%) than women (26%). Between 80% and 93% of those with moderate-to-severe OSA remain undiagnosed.
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Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and central sleep apnea are two possible types of sleep apnea. With sleep apnea, your breathing frequently stops and restarts throughout your sleep. The difference between both forms of sleep apnea is the reason why this happens. Obstructive sleep apnea occurs when something blocks your upper airway. Obstructive sleep apnea is a sleep disorder in which the muscles at the back of the throat relax during sleep, causing the upper airway to partially or completely collapse. This condition can have an effect on your quality of life, and can also lead to more serious conditions, which is why you should always see a healthcare provider if you’re experiencing any of the symptoms of obstructive sleep apnea. 

Who is being suggested sleep apnea?

The demographic profile of Ada's OSA assessments: 61% of OSA assessments over the last years were done by males, 43% were done by females.

Median age: 44 in both males and females.

People assessing for OSA frequently report sleep maintenance difficulties alongside the classic snoring and apnea symptoms.
Snoring - 50.2%
Poorly Restorative Sleep (often called unrefreshing sleep)- 29.0%
Fatigue - 18.6%
Gasping During Sleep - 15.0%
Headache - 10.7%

Dry mouth, back pain, reduced performance, sleep difficulty, chest pain, and dyspnea also appear.

Here's what the data of Ada's OSA assessments shows:. ref6

Methodology
This analysis is based on anonymized, aggregated data from Ada Health’s clinical symptom assessment platform. Ada does not diagnose OSA and the data reflects symptom-checking behavior, not prevalence.

Source: Ada Health anonymised, aggregated platform data. Ada is a CE-marked Class IIa medical device.

Obstructive sleep apnea can be categorized depending on how severe the condition is. This is based on the amount of times your breathing stops each hour: ref2

• Mild obstructive sleep apnea occurs when your breathing stops 5 to 15 times per hour
• Moderate obstructive sleep apnea occurs when your breathing stops between 15 and 30 times per hour
• Severe obstructive sleep apnea occurs when your breathing stops more than 30 times per hour.

Obstructive sleep apnea symptoms primarily occur during the night, which can make them harder for you to notice on your own. In many cases, a bed partner or family member may be the first to spot these signs and point them out to you. You may: 3

• Stop and start breathing
• Make gasping, snorting, or choking noises
• Wake up frequently 
• Snore loudly

As the symptoms of OSA have an effect on your quality of sleep, you may experience these symptoms throughout the day: 

• Daytime sleepiness, including a tendency to nod off or fall asleep while doing other activities
• Difficulty concentrating
• Memory lapses
• Changes in mood
• A dry mouth on waking
• Morning headaches

Obstructive sleep apnea is caused by something blocking your upper airway. Some known causes of obstructive sleep apnea are: 4 3 1

• Obesity
• Enlarged tonsils
• Changes to your hormone levels
• The way your mouth, throat, or jaw is shaped
• Pregnancy
• Lying flat on your back when you sleep
• Certain medical conditions such as diabetes, hypothyroidism, myasthenia gravis, Down syndrome, congestive heart failure, atrial fibrillation (AFib), prader Willi syndrome, and obesity hypoventilation syndrome can contribute to the development of obstructive sleep apnea 
• Smoking and the use of alcohol

An OSA diagnosis can be made by your healthcare provider. You will be asked questions about your symptoms and your medical history, after which you may need further testing at a specialist sleep clinic. Here, healthcare providers can check for signs of obstructive sleep apnea while you sleep and determine how severe your condition is. 4 3

A full diagnosis typically involves:

1. Medical history and symptom review - your doctor will ask about your symptoms, about your sleep routine, family history, and any related conditions
2. Physical examination - physical evaluation of the respiratory tract 
3. Objective Sleep Testing - there are two different types of testing Polysomnography (In-Lab Sleep Study) and Home Sleep Apnea Test (HSAT).

If you suspect you might have Obstructive Sleep Apnea, it's worth asking your doctor specifically about Sleep Study (the medical term is Polysomnography) or Home Sleep Apnea Test (HSAT0).

CAUTION: the services/features that you access through Ada assessment or the Ada App cannot give you a medical diagnosis. Contact urgent care immediately in an emergency. Ada does not replace your healthcare professional's advice or an appointment with your doctor.

What are obstructive sleep apnea treatments?

Obstructive sleep apnea treatment often depends on what is causing your condition. In most cases, lifestyle changes and treatment of underlying medical conditions can already have a big impact on the condition. Obesity is especially an important factor to tackle by exercising regularly and following a healthy diet. Some medical devices can also help alleviate your OSA symptoms: 4 3 5

• A positioning device can help you sleep in a different position
• A continuous positive air pressure (CPAP) device can improve your breathing throughout the night
• A custom-fitted advancement device that can help bring your lower jaw more to the front, which helps avoid obstruction of the upper airway. Often used for mild-to-moderate OSA or where CPAP is not tolerated.
• Lifestyle changes like weight loss, reducing alcohol intake, and avoiding back-sleeping can meaningfully reduce severity in some patients.

In some cases, obstructive sleep apnea surgery can also be recommended. There are some options: 4 3 5

• A surgery removing your uvula (the fleshy extension at the back of your mouth which hangs above the throat) or some of the tissue of the soft palate to create more space in the mouth and throat region
• Some patients may require surgery of the jaw to create more space in this region
• A new type of surgery is the implantation of a nerve stimulator which stimulates certain muscles that help broaden the airways during the pauses in your breathing.

Obstructive sleep apnea can lead to the development of other conditions, which is why treatment is necessary. Some possible complications of OSA are: 

• High blood pressure 
• Heart attack
• Stroke
• Depression

• OSA
• Obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea
• Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome

Obstructive sleep apnea is a common condition that causes you to stop and restart breathing throughout your sleep. This can cause symptoms such as loud snoring, gasping for air and waking up frequently. This condition can have an effect on your quality of life and can cause various complications, which is why getting diagnosed and treated for OSA is important. Besides the obstructive sleep apnea causes, the condition is also more common in men as they get older.

Q: What is the life expectancy of someone with sleep apnea?
A: Untreated obstructive sleep apnea can shorten your life by several years, as it can lead to the development of serious conditions. 

Q: Can obstructive sleep apnea kill you?
A: Obstructive sleep apnea itself can’t kill you, but if left untreated, it can an increase the risk off conditions which may be life-threatening, such as heart attack and stroke

Q: Can obstructive sleep apnea be cured?
A: This depends on the cause of your obstructive sleep apnea. For some, the condition can be cured by making lifestyle changes or undergoing surgery. For others, treatment aims at reducing the number of times your breathing stops throughout the night and at preventing severe complications from developing. 

Q: What is the life expectancy of someone with severe sleep apnea?
A: People with untreated severe sleep apnea have a life expectancy that is significantly lower than people without sleep apnea. 

Q: What are common OSA risk factors?
A: Some OSA risk factors include obesity, enlarged tonsils, advanced age, pregnancy, anatomical deviations of the throat, mouth, and jaw, and certain medical conditions.