Despite what most people may believe, sleep apnea is quite a common sleep disorder; most of the time, people aren’t aware of it due to the fact that in most cases it goes undiagnosed, or sometimes, its symptoms go undiagnosed.
Sleep apnea, as is familiar to most people, is a sleep disorder characterized by issues or interruptions during breathing while asleep. The episodes vary in duration; they can last from a few seconds to a couple of minutes. As the duration varies, so too does the number of times that they happen. It can be a dozen times throughout the entire night or sometimes even hundreds of times. This disorder causes sleep to become fragmented and, in turn, oxygen levels to fluctuate.
When this happens, the body, both its cardiovascular and nervous systems, experiences issues portrayed in the physical stress of the body. Most people think snoring is the main sign of sleep apnea; however, sleep apnea is far more than that.
One important thing to note is that if sleep apnea goes untreated for a long time, issues may grow.
The disorder has also been found to be linked with hypertension, cardiovascular disease, stroke, diabetes, impaired cognitive function, and, in general, a reduced quality of life. The best way to deal with sleep apnea is early recognitionand taking the appropriate and timely treatment.
This can both improve symptoms and reduce the risks of possible serious long-term conditions.
Risk Factors
Sleep apnea affects individuals of all ages. That being said, certain factors increase its likelihood.
Common risk factors for sleep apnea include:
- Excess body weight
- Increasing age
- Male sex
- A family history of sleep apnea
- Large neck circumference
- Enlarged tonsils or adenoids
- Craniofacial anatomical variations
- Nasal obstruction
- Smoking
- Alcohol consumption, especially when drinking before going to sleep
- Medications (sedatives or others)
Certain medical conditions can also increase the risk of sleep apnea.
These include hypothyroidism, acromegaly, heart failure, atrial fibrillation, and previous stroke.
Signs and Symptoms
For most people, sleep apnea tends to go unnoticed since it happens during nighttime when they are asleep. If that’s the case, it’s (typically) the family members or partners who are the first ones to notice these symptoms.
And the symptoms could range from loud and constant snoring, prolonged pauses in breathing, gasping/choking while sleeping, to excessive sleepiness during daytime, massive morning headaches, dry mouth, difficulty concentrating, and problems with memory. IT could even be something like mood changes or irritability.
But usually, it’s a combination of the previously mentioned symptoms.
With children, since their bodies are still not fully developed, the symptoms might be different. So, for instance, you might notice hyperactivity, or things such as poor school performance, restless sleep, etc. Even things like mouth breathing can be a sign of sleep apnea in children.
So do factor this in if we’re looking at a child.
Consequences On Health
If deprived of oxygen and deprived for a repeated number of times, a certain strain on the body is inevitable, especially on multiple organs.
Because of this, it is no wonder that untreated sleep apnea has been associated with:
- Systemic hypertension
- Coronary artery disease
- Heart failure
- Cardiac arrhythmias
- Stroke
- Type 2 diabetes mellitus
- Metabolic syndrome
- Depression and anxiety
- Increased risk of motor vehicle and workplace accidents
Other issues, such as constant fatigue, can impair thinking, reaction time, and general productivity.
This, it goes without saying, is sure to affect both personal and professional life.
Surgery
Sometimes, the only solution to deal with sleep apnea is surgery.
Depending on the patient’s condition, some of the surgical procedures used could be tonsillectomy, uvulopalatopharyngoplasty, nasal surgery, maxillomandibular advancement, and even upper airway stimulation using implanted devices in carefully selected patients.
It’s the patient’s unique anatomy and clinical assessment from the specialist that will determine which procedure(s) will be used.
From the patient’s perspective, it’s not the procedure (or multiple procedures) that is the main pain point, but the cost of medical bills that will follow, especially if the potential expense is sudden and unplanned for.
This is when people start researching financing options such as quick loans or, for example, whether they can cash out a life insurance policy and use it to cover the bill.
With that being said, decisions such as these should be considered very carefully, due to the fact that they may reduce future benefits.
But with all this out of the way, it’s very important to communicate that surgery doesn’t guarantee results. And even if there are good results, this doesn’t mean that any future issues may not come up.
In fact, sometimes a surgical procedure can make things even worse than they’ve been. So, once you’ve gone through all the potential risks with your doctor and you fully understand them, should you take enough time to carefully weigh your options and only then make your decision?
Conclusion
Sleep apnea is a common issue, one that has serious consequences. It’s not just a lack of sleep, but a whole array of issues ranging from health, daily lives, and quality of life, such as cardiovascular disease, metabolic dysfunction, impaired cognitive performance, etc.
Most people spend their entire lives unaware of this issue. Luckily, modern medicine has a lot of effective diagnostic methods and treatment options.
It’s always good to be wary and alert about potential symptoms – both for patients and doctors alike – and, if you find yourself having any, consult a medical professional. This can help improve your health and your quality of life.
As mentioned, increased awareness and caution are advised.
The main point here is to be aware and stay healthy.
