Sleep Apnea: The Overlooked Health Risk
With the fast pace of modern life, many people gradually ignore the importance of sleep. However, when we close our eyes and fall asleep, a health threat called "sleep apnea" is brewing. Many patients are unaware of the seriousness of the condition, and even think it is just snoring or temporary difficulty breathing, but the truth is more complicated than it appears.
This article will delve into the causes, symptoms, potential harms of sleep apnea, and how to address this health challenge through changes in your daily habits.
What is sleep apnea?
Sleep Apnea is a condition in which breathing stops during sleep due to repeated obstruction of the airways or a central nervous system disorder. Breathing stops briefly for seconds or even minutes during sleep, causing blood oxygen levels to drop and the body to "wake up" to resume normal breathing. This process of pausing and awakening can occur hundreds of times over the course of a night, seriously affecting sleep quality and health.
Sleep apnea can be divided into the following types:
Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) : The most common type, caused by airway obstruction, is often associated with obesity, neck enlargement and other factors.
Central sleep apnea (CSA) : Caused by the brain's inability to properly send breathing signals during sleep, it is more common in people with neurological disorders.
Mixed sleep apnea: Patients exhibit both obstructive and central symptoms.
Many people with sleep apnea don't know they have it because it often happens at night. Symptoms include:
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Snoring: Severe and intermittent snoring is a typical symptom.
Daytime sleepiness: Despite adequate sleep, patients still feel tired and fall asleep easily.
Apnea: Bed partners or family members often notice that the patient suddenly stops breathing during the night with panting sounds.
Poor concentration and memory: Long-term lack of quality sleep can affect cognitive function.
Mood swings: Sufferers tend to feel anxious, depressed or irritable.
Risk factors for sleep apnea
The risk of sleep apnea is strongly linked to a number of factors, some of which can be intervened with lifestyle changes, while others are unavoidable. Common risk factors include:
Obesity, especially the accumulation of fat in the neck, increases the likelihood that the airways will narrow, leading to airway collapse and sleep apnea. Data show that more than half of people with obstructive sleep apnea are obese.
Age is an important risk factor for sleep apnea, especially in middle-aged and elderly people. The prevalence rate in men is significantly higher than that in women, which may be related to body fat distribution and hormonal differences. However, as women enter menopause, hormonal changes can lead to an increased risk.
Unhealthy lifestyles such as drinking and smoking are also closely related to the occurrence of sleep apnea. Alcohol and tobacco relax the muscles in the throat, exacerbating airway obstruction. In addition, certain medications such as sedatives can also increase the risk.
Some people are born with anatomical differences, such as balking, an enlarged tongue, or enlarged tonsils, that can narrow the airways more and increase the likelihood of obstructive sleep apnea.
Health hazards of sleep apnea
Sleep apnea not only affects the quality of sleep, but also has a broad and profound impact on overall health. Sleep apnea left untreated for a long time can lead to a number of serious health problems, including:
Cardiovascular Diseases
Due to frequent nighttime awakenings, patients' blood pressure usually continues to rise during the night, which puts the heart under excessive pressure and increases the risk of cardiovascular diseases such as hypertension, coronary heart disease, arrhythmia, and stroke.
Diabetes
Studies have shown that sleep apnea is strongly associated with insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes. Repeated periods of low oxygen can lead to fluctuations in blood sugar levels, increasing the risk of diabetes.
Emotional Disorders
Due to a chronic lack of deep sleep, many people with sleep apnea report mood disorders such as anxiety, depression, and irritability. Emotional instability not only affects quality of life, but may further worsen other health problems.
Memory and cognitive decline
The brain needs time to repair and consolidate memories during sleep, but people with sleep apnea wake up frequently at night, resulting in insufficient recovery time for the brain, which can affect attention, memory and cognitive abilities in the long term.
How to deal with sleep apnea?
Although sleep apnea is a common and serious health problem, with early identification and proper treatment, patients can effectively improve their symptoms and reduce long-term health risks.
Change your lifestyle
Lifestyle improvements are key measures to alleviate mild to moderate sleep apnea:
Weight loss: Weight loss can significantly reduce the incidence of airway obstruction.
Stop smoking and limit alcohol consumption: Quitting smoking and reducing alcohol intake can help reduce symptoms of apnea.
Adjust your sleeping position: Sleeping on your side or stomach may help avoid airway obstruction. In some patients, apnea is more pronounced when lying flat.
Use of ventilators
For moderate to severe patients, the use of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) devices is the most common treatment. CPAP helps patients maintain normal breathing at night by continuously delivering air to the airway, preventing airway collapse.
Surgical Procedures
In some cases, if the patient's airway problem is caused by an anatomical abnormality, the doctor may recommend surgical procedures such as tonsillectomy, tongue retraction correction, etc., to resolve the airway obstruction.
Oral orthotics
For patients who are unwilling or unable to use a CPAP, a doctor may recommend an oral orthotic. This device helps keep the airway open by adjusting the position of the jaw or tongue.
Prevention and Prospect
Sleep apnea, while common, is not unmanageable. With early identification and timely intervention, many patients can significantly improve their quality of life and reduce health risks. As part of modern society, learning to take care of your health, especially the quality of sleep, is not only an important part of improving your lifestyle, but also the key to preventing long-term health problems.
If you or a family member snore heavily at night, feel tired and lethargic during the day, or experience other typical symptoms of sleep apnea, be sure to consult a doctor. Whether through lifestyle adjustments, device therapy, or surgical intervention, improving your symptoms of sleep apnea will have great benefits for your overall health.
