What Is Upper Airway Resistance? The Overlooked Sleep Disruptor

By Dr. Dan Gartenberg

If you feel tired even after a full night in bed, struggle with frequent awakenings, or wake up feeling tense or anxious—you may be experiencing a form of sleep disruption known as upper airway resistance.

At SleepSpace, our mission is to help people optimize their sleep environment and habits using science-backed technology and coaching—not to diagnose or treat medical conditions. But one important and often misunderstood sleep challenge is Upper Airway Resistance Syndrome (UARS), a condition that falls between normal sleep and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). UARS is affects 5-15% of the US adult population with it being ~3x more common in females.

Upper airway resistance syndrome diagram
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💡 What Is Upper Airway Resistance Syndrome (UARS)?

Important note: If you suspect a clinical sleep disorder, we recommend consulting a licensed sleep physician or dentist trained in sleep medicine.

UARS is a type of sleep-disordered breathing where the airway narrows during sleep, causing increased resistance to airflow. Being overweight is less predictive of UARS than UARS's cousin - sleep apnea. People with UARS are often completely fit, but they may have a small jaw or narrow neck. This doesn’t usually lead to full obstruction or oxygen drops like sleep apnea does, but it can still cause frequent micro-arousals—tiny, unconscious awakenings that break up your sleep cycle.

The result? You miss out on the deep, restorative sleep stages your brain and body need to fully recharge.

Dr. Dan Gartenberg discusses upper airway resistance and other sleep improvement strategies on the sleep is a skill podcast with Mollie Eastman

😴 Why Is UARS Often Missed?

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Many people with UARS pass standard sleep tests because their oxygen levels remain normal and loud snoring is absent. Yet, they still report:

  • Morning fatigue

  • Jaw clenching or teeth grinding

  • Anxiety upon waking

  • Frequent awakenings with no obvious cause

  • Light, restless sleep

SleepSpace users have often told us they’ve struggled to get answers despite trying various medical routes. While our platform doesn’t treat these issues directly, we do offer insights into sleep fragmentation, environmental triggers, and personalized coaching that can support your journey toward better rest.

📊 How SleepSpace Can Help Support Better Sleep Quality

SleepSpace is not a medical device or treatment. What we offer is a behavioral and environmental platform that can support:

  1. Identifying patterns of fragmented sleep

  2. Tracking sleep onset, duration, and continuity

  3. Adapting bedroom conditions (e.g., temperature, noise) in real-time

  4. Coaching you in evidence-based sleep hygiene practices

For example, users who clench their jaw or breathe through their mouth during sleep may benefit from positional therapy or improving nasal airflow—non-medical interventions that may ease nighttime effort. While this is not a cure for UARS or sleep apnea, it can make a meaningful difference in subjective sleep quality.

🔄 UARS vs. Sleep Apnea: What’s the Difference?

Understanding the difference empowers you to explore the right solutions with the right professionals—and to take behavioral steps that support healthy sleep patterns.

Feature

UARS

Sleep Apnea

Airway Collapse

Partial

Complete (intermittent)

Oxygen Drop

Rare

Frequent

Snoring

Minimal or none

Often loud

Sleep Study Results

Often normal

Abnormal

Treatment Path

Lifestyle & oral devices (non-medical tools may help support)

CPAP, MADs (medical treatment)
Doctor recommending SleepSpace to their clients
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🔍 Should You Get Evaluated for Sleep-Disordered Breathing?

If you experience signs like:

  1. Waking up multiple times at night

  2. Feeling unrested despite long time in bed

  3. Tightness in your jaw or throat or have a narrow jaw/neck

  4. Anxiety or headaches upon waking

…it may be worth speaking with a sleep doctor or ENT. SleepSpace does not provide medical diagnosis or treatment, but our app can help you track your sleep environment and behavior patterns to support these conversations. Click to the left and we can connect you to a medical provider. 

 

Infographic of things that you can do to improve your sleep quality, especially when it comes to poor breathing health.

🌿 Natural Ways to Support Deep, Restorative Sleep

Whether or not UARS is at play, improving your sleep quality starts with the basics:

  • Use temperature-regulating sleep products

  • Practice daily wind-down routines

  • Breathe through your nose at night

  • Reduce nighttime noise and light

  • Track your sleep data to learn what’s working

SleepSpace combines sleep tracking, environmental optimization, and personalized coaching to support healthier sleep behaviors—without medical intervention.


Final Thoughts: Know Your Body, Empower Your Sleep

Upper airway resistance is real—and while it may not be a household term, it’s a factor in many people’s ongoing sleep struggles. While SleepSpace doesn’t treat UARS or offer medical advice, we do aim to empower you with behavioral science, smart tools, and personalized guidance.

If you’re ready to take control of your sleep health, try SleepSpace to discover the patterns behind your rest—and how small changes to your habits and environment might make a big difference.