What is UARS?

What is UARS?

UARS (upper airway resistance syndrome) is a common sleep disorder that causes excessive daytime sleepiness as a result of UARSbreathing problems that disrupt the sleep cycle. Similar to sleep apnea, which causes the muscles in the airway to relax while the person is asleep and leads to momentary pauses in breathing, UARS causes the airway to constrict, making it more difficult to breathe. While UARS sufferers do not completely stop breathing, the condition is often a gateway to developing sleep apnea. UARS causes the throat muscles to relax during sleep, which partially blocks the airway and strains the respiratory system.

Sleep disorders are often misdiagnosed because despite the fact that causes range dramatically from neurological conditions like narcolepsy to milder issues like insomnia. The end result and symptoms often feel the same - daytime sleepiness and exhaustion, mood and memory problems, headaches, irritability, and in many cases depression and other health problems. People with sleeping disorders often believe they are getting a full night's sleep, unaware of how their sleep cycle is affected by their breathing or brain activity until they undergo a comprehensive evaluation through a sleep medicine program.

Upper Airway Resistance Syndrome Signs and Symptoms

The Pacific Sleep Program, which offers testing and sleep medicine treatment in Portland, OR, can help to determine the source of symptoms. Whether a person is suffering from UARS, sleep apnea, or another disorder. The most common symptoms of UARS are:

  • Chronic snoring
  • Trouble falling and staying asleep
  • Insomnia
  • Fatigue, exhaustion, and excessive sleepiness throughout the day

Treatment for UARS varies from patient to patient depending on the cause and severity of the respiratory obstruction. Options may include lifestyle modifications like weight loss, eliminating stimulants like alcohol, assistive breathing devices, and medication.

Sleep Medicine in Portland, OR

Chronic snoring and excessive daytime sleepiness and exhaustion despite getting a good night's sleep are classic symptoms of a sleep disorder. For more information on diagnostic and treatment options for UARS, sleep apnea, and other sleeping disorders, contact the Pacific Sleep Program by calling (503) 228-4414 to schedule an appointment in Portland today.

Portland Office

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Wednesday:

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