Learn about the health consequences of sleep apnea and how to control secondary conditions in this digestible guide to living a healthy li...
Learn about the health consequences of sleep apnea and how to control secondary conditions in this digestible guide to living a healthy life.
Sleep apnea is more than just snoring. It’s a horrible disease that can cause a bunch of other problems. But knowing how to connect this illness with secondary problems is the way to a better life. Let’s find out more about what this common sleep disorder might be doing to your life and what you can do about it.
What Is Sleep Apnea?
It is the condition in which breathing slows down and resumes repeatedly during sleep. You’re in a cul-de-sac in your airway. Airflow is blocked, for instance, and your body is forced to squirm. There are three: obstructive, central and complex sleep apnea. Not only that, but each of them triggers and disturbs sleep in much the same way.
Causes of Sleep Apnea
Relaxed throat muscles are the primary culprit for sleep apnea. Brain problems, too, can affect respiration patterns. Obesity, age and genes all come into the picture, and this is just the recipe for this disease.
Risk Factors and Symptoms
Did you know that too much weight and a big neck put you at greater risk for sleep apnea? Smoking, drinking and nasal congestion are the other risk factors, in contrast. Furthermore, the other common symptoms are snoring hard, fatigue in the daytime, and restlessness. Perhaps you will awaken zombie-like.
Cardiovascular Issues
This condition doesn’t end with stealing your sleep. It can also damage your heart. Studies have shown it causes high blood pressure, systolic disorders and heart failure, for example. You can’t keep pumping o2 every time oxygen drops. In the long run, this is harmful.
Diabetes and Metabolic Disorders
And here’s the kicker: you can get affected by the condition in terms of your blood sugar. For instance, it makes your insulin sensitivity less responsive, leading to your type 2 diabetes. And broken sleep exacerbates metabolic condition as well, a vicious cycle that’s hard to interrupt.
Impact on Mental Health
To have this disorder is like carrying a boulder. Depression, anxiety, and poor sleep go hand in hand. And most patients with untreated sleep apnea have poorer lives.
Diagnosis and Treatment Options
Think you have this disorder? Start with a sleep study. CPAP machines and oral devices can help. Surgery might be required in the severe cases. Also, these treatments open your airway to let you sleep.
Lifestyle Tips to Increase Performance
It’s the little things that count. Getting fit, quitting smoking, side-sleeping, etc. Second, you get to be healthier and enlarge your breathing muscles through exercise.
Preventing Secondary Conditions
Manage this illness and it can avoid so many issues. Also, check-ups and following your therapy protocol are important. Imagine driving a car. Take care of early saves in the long run.
Conclusion
This condition is scary but it is treatable. If you address it early, it can prevent the worst from happening to your health, and save your life. Have you suffered from sleep apnea or something like it? Write about it in the comments. Or pass this article to someone in need!
FAQs
- Can sleep apnea ever disappear on its own?
Even mild conditions are treated with lifestyle adjustments such as weight loss and sleeping better. But moderate- to severe cases usually require medical care.
- How is sleep apnea diagnosed?
A sleep experiment measures your pulse, oxygen level and sleep schedule. That’s how you test for the condition.
- Can children develop this condition?
There’s such a thing as sleep apnea in children. You have large tonsils or adenoids, for instance. Talk to a paediatrician if symptoms arise.
- Are CPAP machines uncomfortable?
These days, CPAP machines are easier to use. What’s more, some adjust quite quickly and feel no symptoms at all.
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