While you were sleeping

WHAT IS SLEEP APNEA?

The word ‘apnea’ loosely translates to ‘no breathing’. Sleep apnea is, therefore, a sleeping disorder where a person stops breathing or takes in extremely shallow breaths while asleep. This leads to less oxygen reaching body parts, particularly the brain, and can cause several serious problems as a consequence. Episodes may last anywhere from a few seconds to several minutes.

WHAT CAUSES IT?

An obstruction to the airway by any means causes the more common kind of Obstructive Sleep Apnea.
The other type of sleep apnea, Central Sleep Apnea, is caused by the respiratory center of the brain failing to signal the muscles of respiration to breathe.

WHO'S AT RISK?

Anybody can suffer from sleep apnea, but there are a few groups of people who’re at more risk than other such as:

• Overweight people/people with large necks(folds of tissue may obstruct breathing passages while lying down.
• People over the age of forty
• People with such anatomical features as an unusually large tongue or tonsils or an abnormally small jaw bone.
• People with allergies, sinusitis, a deviated nasal septum or any such nasal obstruction.
• People with a family history of sleep apnea
• People suffering from GERD/acid reflux

WHAT HEALTH RISK DOES IT POSE?

The main problem is the lack of oxygen going to the brain and other parts of the body during attacks. This can lead to widespread effects including but not limited to:

Irritability and depression | Inability to cope with daily life | Headaches
Fatigue | High blood pressure | Heartbeat irregularities or even heart failure | Stroke

ARE THERE WARNING SIGNS ONE SHOULD KNOW?

A combination of the following few symptoms could mean that somebody has sleep apnea. If you're suffering from these symptoms, make sure you consult a doctor, as sleep apnea can be a very serious condition requiring medical intervention.

• Waking up with a very sore or dry throat
• Loud snoring
• Occasionally waking up with a choking or gasping sensation
• Sleepiness or lack of energy during the day
• Sleepiness while driving

• Morning headaches
• Restless sleep
• Forgetfulness, mood changes, and a decreased interest in sex
• Recurrent awakenings or insomnia

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HOW IS IT DIAGNOSED?

A polysomnograph (a sleep test) is the method most commonly used.
This is usually done in a sleep clinic where you'd get your own bed, but nowadays equipment to perform this test at home is also available.
During the test, there are machines electronically recording your sleeping pattern and recording abnormalities, if any, during the same.

CAN IT BE MANAGED?

Yes, sleep apnea is a manageable condition. Depending upon the severity of an individuals case, a multi-pronged approach can be availed:

1. Tone down the aggravating factors: If excessive weight or alcohol or sleeping pills is causing the apnea, work to reduce the impact of such factors in your life. Changing sleeping positions(e.g. not sleeping on your back) may help too. Smoking may inflame and swell up your airway, so avoiding smoking is a good mitigating strategy.
2. Continuous Positive Airway Pressure: Here, a mask is attached to your nose and/or mouth. This mask is hooked onto a machine which maintains a flow of air leading to the airway remaining patent all the time. This is the treatment of choice for sleep apnea. A bi-level Positive Airway Pressure system which supplies different amounts of air depending on inhalation/exhalation is also available.
3. Dental devices designed specially to combat the issue are an option
4. Surgery may be required to correct the apnea if the causative agent is an issue like a deviated septum or enlarged tonsils. This requires detailed discussion with a surgeon.

By Dharini Prasad

Guest Author and Student of Medicine