What is sleep apnea? Why is early diagnosis essential?

Everyone knows that regular exercise and a good diet are the most important things you can do for a healthy life. But after all, the quality of a person’s sleep is also important for overall well-being. Undiagnosed sleep apnea is directly associated with poor quality of life and increased cardiovascular and metabolic health risks.Read again- Vitamins C, D and Zinc Do Not Reduce Your Dying with Covid-19: Study

Sleep apnea is a sleep disorder that can cause serious health problems such as high blood pressure and heart disease. When untreated, sleep apnea causes repeated breathing arrests during sleep, causing great snoring and daytime fatigue, even when sleeping all night. Sleep apnea can affect anyone, but most of its audience is overweight older men. Sleep apnea occurs in about 3% of people of average weight, but affects more than 20% of obese people. Sleep apnea affects men more than women, but postmenopausal women have a significantly higher rate of sleep apnea. Read again- Five amazing benefits of giving up chocolate for a month

Signs of sleep apnea?

There are two types of sleep apnea: obstructive sleep apnea and central sleep apnea. Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) occurs when you are trying to breathe but air cannot enter or leave your nose or mouth. Central sleep apnea (CSA) occurs when the brain is unable to send the correct signal to the muscles to start breathing. The latter form of sleep apnea is less common. Read again- 6 essential exercises during recovery from Covid

Snoring can be a sign of sleep apnea, but it is not the norm for this disorder. Snoring is a vibrating sound generated by airway resistance. You can snore loudly and do not have sleep apnea, and you may have sleep apnea without snoring too much. In addition, people suffering from sleep apnea may complain about unexplained inferiority and mood swings as breathing interruptions constantly wake up and prevent them from settling in deeply nourishing REM sleep.

What are the symptoms of sleep apnea?

The first signs of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) are often recognized by the partner, not the patient. Many of the affected people do not have sleep complaints. The most common signs and symptoms of OSA are:

• snore
• Daytime sleepiness or malaise
• Restlessness during sleep, frequent night awakening
• Sudden awakening with a sensation of gasping and choking
• Thirst or sore throat when waking up
• Cognitive impairment such as poor concentration, forgetting, and hypersensitivity
• Mood disorders such as anxiety and depression
• Frequent night urination
• Sexual dysfunction
• Frequent headaches

People with central sleep apnea often report repeated awakenings and insomnia, but they may also experience a sensation of choking and gasping when they wake up. Common symptoms in children include poor school performance, dullness during the day, breathing through the mouth, difficulty swallowing, abnormal sleeping posture, night sweats, night sweats, learning and behavioral disorders.

What is the cure for sleep apnea?

Conservative therapy may be the solution in mild cases of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). If a person is obese, weight loss is an effective solution, as weight loss can reduce the number of apnea events in most patients. However, untreated obstructive sleep apnea can be difficult to lose weight due to increased changes in appetite and metabolism. In addition, people with obstructive sleep apnea should avoid the use of alcohol or certain sleeping pills as they can affect the airways and lead to collapse and prolongation of the apnea period. Patients with sinus problems or stuffy nose should use a nasal spray or breathing strip to reduce snoring. This will eventually improve airflow and make nighttime breathing more comfortable. Even for people with sleep apnea, deprivation can have detrimental effects, so it is imperative to try to get the sleep you need.

Another treatment for OSA is positive airway pressure therapy. In PAP therapy, the patient wears a mask on the nose and mouth. The blower gently pushes air through the nose and mouth. The air pressure is adjusted just enough to prevent the upper airway tissue from collapsing during sleep. There are several styles and types of positive airway pressure devices, depending on the specific needs of the patient.

Finally, surgical procedures may be useful for people with obstructive sleep apnea or those who snore but do not have sleep apnea. Surgery is intended for people with excess or malformed tissue that impedes the flow of air through the nose and throat, such as nasal septum deviation, marked enlargement of the tonsils, and abnormal narrowing of the throat due to the anterior protrusion of the upper jaw. These steps are usually performed after sleep apnea does not respond to conservative measures or CPAP trials. Sleep apnea, if left untreated, can cause several health problems such as high blood pressure, stroke, arrhythmias, cardiomyopathy (enlarged heart muscle tissue), heart failure, diabetes, obesity, and heart attacks. There is sex.

Why shouldn’t I ignore sleep apnea?

The potential for sleep apnea to cause arrhythmias and heart failure is always present because patients suffering from this disorder tend to have high blood pressure. If you or your partner notice any signs of sleep apnea, it is highly recommended that you see a doctor as soon as possible. Patients must visit a sleep laboratory to spend the night for monitoring and diagnosis. You can rest assured that you will know the results, so if you or your family show signs of sleep apnea, consult a specialist.

(Opinions by Dr. Prashant Chajed, director of the Respiratory and Sleep Center at Fortis Hiranandani Hospital in Vashi, and Dr. Anshu Punjabi, a pulmonologist and sleep medicine expert at Fortis Hospital in Mulund)