Adobe Stock
Many people who snore are unaware they may have a health condition known as sleep apnea, which can cause daytime drowsiness, decreased alertness, increased risk of heart attack, and premature or accidental death.
Snoring isn’t always a benign condition that causes someone to make loud noises in their sleep. The condition is much more complicated and dangerous than many people realize.
The word apnea means a temporary cessation of breathing. Sleep apnea is a sleep disorder that is potentially serious and can have fatal consequences. People who snore loudly and feel tired even after a full night’s sleep could be suffering from sleep apnea.
According to the Mayo Clinic, there are three main types of sleep apnea: Obstructive sleep apnea, central sleep apnea, or complex sleep apnea syndrome.
People who have high blood pressure, heart problems, congestive heart failure, or have had a stroke are at greater risk of having sleep apnea.
Sleep apnea has several risk factors, including being middle-aged or older and overweight being among the most prominent, as well as being more common in men. Smokers have three times the risk.
Some of the most common signs of sleep apnea are loud snoring, gasping for air during sleep, difficulty staying asleep, excessive daytime sleepiness, awakening with a dry mouth, difficulty paying attention while awake, and irritability. Another sign is observed by another person: Episodes in which the snorer stops breathing during sleep.
According to the researchers, five breathing interruptions per night is typical. Six to 15 breathing interruptions per night is mild sleep apnea. Moderate is 16 to 30 interruptions per night, and severe sleep apnea is greater than 30 breathing interruptions.
Following testing, treatment often includes the use of a breathing assistance device, such as a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine. Oral appliances to keep the throat open during sleep are also often used. Lifestyle changes are often recommended as well, such as weight loss.
You can learn more about the condition at sleepapnea.org.
According to research, people who suffer from obstructive sleep apnea have a 30% higher risk of heart attack or premature death, WebMD reported.
Sleep apnea can increase blood pressure and strain the cardiovascular system, increasing the risk of abnormal heartbeats, heart attack, or a stroke. It also increases your risk of type 2 diabetes and liver problems.
People with sleep apnea can suffer severe fatigue or drowsiness the following day. This can profoundly affect their alertness, concentration, mood, and coordination.
Studies on sleep deprivation and alertness have repeatedly impacted cognitive performance and psychomotor vigilance (a measurement of sustained attention on a reaction-timed task in response to a visual stimulus). Even a single night’s loss of sleep has a significant variable effect on psychomotor vigilance, according to one study.
Anyone operating a motor vehicle or powered equipment is at risk of suffering an accident, perhaps fatal.
In the UK, the National Health Service (NHS) warns people who have sleep apnea of the increased risk of driving.
A study on sleep apnea and driving was conducted by researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St Louis on 96 adults over the age of 65. The researcher said five breathing interruptions per night were normal. However, for every eight additional breathing interruptions per hour, the odds of dangerous driving increased by 27 percent, the Sun reported.
