Perhaps your sleep is disturbed. This can have a variety of causes - including medical.
Apnea is a common problem characterized by successive respiratory arrests during sleep caused by narrowing of the upper part of the airway. Because of this, the body is under significant strain, blood pressure can rise significantly, and sleep is fragmented and not at all restful.
There are two types of sleep apnea: obstructive sleep apnea and central sleep apnea. The symptoms of both types are similar, but the causes lie elsewhere.
In obstructive sleep apnea, the airways are temporarily blocked by the tongue, tonsils, soft palate or larynx.
Since breathing is not possible, an alarm signal is sent to the brain. This signal alerts the brain, so that the airways are unblocked. Breathing continues and the brain continues to rest. A person who sleeps does not notice all this, but if the brain receives an alarm signal several times during the night, it causes a very disturbed sleep.
Central sleep apnea is less common. CSA occurs when the respiratory muscles do not receive a signal from the brain to move. There is no blockage of the airways, but breathing still does not take place. Thus, there is apnea and, as with OSA, this leads to severely disturbed sleep.
CSA often occurs in diseases such as heart failure, cerebral infarction, neurological muscle diseases or with the use of narcotic drugs. However, it also occurs in ‘normal’ healthy people, and we mostly see it in children or the elderly.
It can be difficult to identify and diagnose sleep apnea as such.
Symptoms – such as persistent fatigue, drowsiness and morning headaches – unequivocally indicate sleep apnea. Therefore, sleep apnea is often diagnosed late.
How can you recognize sleep apnea?
If you have a partner, he or she can help you determine if you may be suffering from sleep apnea.
They may notice that you are snoring loudly or sleeping restlessly.
The clear recognition of sleep apnea is the cessation and then resumption of breathing when the brain has sent an alarm signal to the respiratory muscles due to lack of oxygen.
Often this is accompanied by an attempt to catch your breath, as if choking, or very loud snoring. Does your partner recognize such symptoms? Then it is wise to go to the doctor to be examined by him if you are suffering from sleep apnea.
What if you are single? Then it will be more difficult to recognize sleep apnea.
You will have to watch out for the combination of fatigue and daytime sleepiness with restless sleep. For example, do you sometimes wake up feeling suffocated, do you suffer from restless legs or suffer from nightmares? Are you tired and often sleepy during the day? Then there is a strong possibility that you may have sleep apnea
Then it is wise to go to the doctor so that a sleep study can be performed.
Apnea can have a significant impact on your personal and professional life.
Untreated or improperly treated moderate to severe apnea triples the risk of death.
The accumulation of excess weight triggers a vicious circle: excess weight helps the development of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome. It can also cause exacerbation of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome, as well as increase the likelihood of developing type 2 diabetes – diabetes mellitus and other diseases.
If left untreated, apnea increases the risk of developing:
The main goal of LF Polyclinic is to improve the quality of life and health of our clients by providing them with top-notch healthcare services.
