Sleep Apnea: Causes, Warning Signs And Treatment

Sleep apnea is said to be a disease that robs a person of oxygen and steals days from his life while he sleeps. It’s not just snoring. Apnea affects almost 5% of people and is also associated with an increased risk of other diseases.

Some of the psychological processes we consider normal are not really normal or healthy. Some say we all snore at night, especially men, and because of that, there is no need to see a doctor. That’s not true. Sleep apnea is actually a serious illness – and more common than we think. It affects men as well as women and the consequences can be huge.

It is a mistake to think that there is no need to see a doctor because of snoring. Sleep apnea can be fatal and there is a simple reason for it. Sleep apnea occurs when breathing suddenly stops during sleep. A person may stop breathing for 5, 6 or even 10 seconds. His body then begins the breathing process automatically without waking up.

It may seem harmless at first, but you should keep in mind that it happens repeatedly, sometimes more than 20 times an hour. Now you realize why the consequences are so serious, especially when we think about it happening night after night.

It is not harmless. It is also wrong to think that it only affects men: there are studies that show that both men and women experience this disease to the same extent.

What is sleep apnea and what are its symptoms?

Many people suffer unknowingly. People do not hear their own snoring or notice a sudden interruption in their breathing. But when an interruption occurs, the airways narrow and cause the lungs to collapse when the air no longer reaches them. The body stops receiving oxygen, the level of carbon dioxide in the blood rises and the brain stops oxidizing for 7-10 seconds.

After a while, the person starts breathing again, after a much louder snoring than usual. It’s like someone would come back to breathe after bathing or breathe again after suffocation. Depending on the number of interruptions per hour, the disease can be classified into 3 categories:

• Mild: interruptions occur 10-20 times per hour
• To moderate: interruptions occur 20-30 times per hour
• Serious: interruptions occur more than 30 times an hour

Causes of sleep apnea

There are several causes associated with sleep apnea. When you think about it, you might imagine in your mind a middle-aged, overweight man who snores at night and wakes up exhausted as well as unable to function without coffee. However, the issue is more complex and the disease has many origins:

• Nasal septal abnormality
• Polyps in the respiratory tract

• Great palate
• Skull special features: face shape, mandible sizing, neck length and so on
• Obesity
• Hyperthyroidism
• Smoking: Tobacco can cause inflammation in the airways
• Brain diseases in which the brain stops sending a stimulus related to breathing at night for short moments. This reason is unusual.

We emphasize again: sleep apnea affects both men and women. However, in women, it is more common after menopause, when several metabolic changes are involved in the problem.

Consequences of sleep apnea

The main effect of sleep apnea is obvious: a person does not sleep well and thus becomes confused and tired during the day. In severe cases, a person feels completely incapable of surviving the day because his exhaustion is so extreme.

• Dry mouth
• Excessive sweating
• Dreaming
• Headache
• Swelling in the legs (in severe cases)
• Difficulty concentrating
• Memory loss
• Overactivity (in children)

More serious consequences:

• High blood pressure
• Asthma
• Atrial fibrillation
• Higher risk of developing some cancers
• Kidney problems
• Cognitive and behavioral disorders: decreased attention, problems with motor skills and verbal and visuospatial memory
• Increased risk of developing dementia
• Cardiovascular diseases such as atherosclerosis, heart attack, heart failure and stroke
• Eye diseases such as glaucoma, dry eyes and so on

• Metabolic disorders, including glucose intolerance and type 2 diabetes
• Pregnancy complications such as gestational diabetes

Treatment of sleep apnea

Treatment depends on the patient and the cause. For example, if it is caused by hyperthyroidism, the treatment differs from that caused by a septal abnormality. Here are some of the most common treatments:

• Lifestyle changes: better diet and more physical activity.
• Use of a night-time respirator, such as a CPAP device,  that removes pressurized air and combines with a face mask.
• Lower jaw devices: devices that cover the upper and lower teeth and keep the jaw in position, so it does not support the upper airway.
• Tongue-holding devices : the part to be placed in the mouth which holds the tongue in the forward position, preventing it from blocking the airway.
• Training to improve the position of the tongue and to strengthen the muscles that control the lips, tongue, soft palate, pharyngeal sidewall and face.

In the most severe cases, surgery is performed to get proper breathing during sleep. As you can see, treatment is tailored to the person, but the goal is always to improve a person’s quality of sleep and ultimately his or her life.

Sources

García Urbano, J. (2012). Roncopatía y Apnea Obstructiva – Solutions to the problems of Sueño . ISBN 978-84-937238-9-7.

Friedman, Michael (2009). Apnea del Sueño y roncopatía: tratamiento medéd y quirúrgico. Elsevier España.