Insufficient and regular sleep, which constitutes one third of life expectancy, can pave the way for many health problems. Sleep apnea, which starts with snoring and is expressed as cessation of breathing during sleep, can lead to various serious health problems such as obesity, hypertension, diabetes, heart attack or stroke. Associate Professor from Memorial Kayseri Hospital Neurology Department. Dr. Nergiz Hüseyinoğlu gave information about sleep apnea and treatment methods.
Cause of concentration disorder
The severity of sleep apnea, which is characterized by snoring and interrupted breathing during sleep, increases with the effect of age and environmental factors. Sleep apnea, as a result of waking up multiple times at night with suffocation and lack of oxygen, causes restless sleep and extreme daytime fatigue. Sleepiness and lack of concentration during the day are felt by other people. In advanced cases, patients may fall asleep even while waiting at traffic lights. The risk of traffic accidents and work accidents increases 7-8 times due to sleep apnea. It can cause sleep apnea, heart attack and high blood pressure in the long term, and over time, occlusions in the cerebral vessels pave the way for paralysis. The low oxygen level that occurs during the night disrupts the structure of the heart and vascular system, and heart enlargement is observed in half of the patients over time.
Pay attention to the symptoms of sleep apnea!
- Noisy snoring and intermittent breathlessness heard by others
- Sometimes suffocating awakenings and sleep interruptions
- Going to the toilet frequently at night
- Excessive sweating and dry mouth
- stomach reflux
- Extreme tiredness and fatigue during the day
- Poor concentration
- daytime naps
- Getting fat
Obesity is both cause and effect
In recent years, it has been determined that there is a connection between obesity and obstructive sleep apnea. Obesity patients constitute 3/2 of the people who apply to the doctor due to sleep breathing disorders. Obesity can be both a cause and a consequence of sleep apnea. The degree of obesity is directly proportional to the severity of sleep apnea. Fat accumulation around the neck and airway of overweight people prevents healthy breathing. With the deterioration of the control of the upper airway, the severity of sleep apnea also increases. The increase in the severity of sleep apnea leaves the body and especially the brain without oxygen throughout the night and deep sleep cannot occur. In the absence of deep sleep, the patient's hormone secretion changes, which leads to a slowdown in metabolism and accumulation of fat in the body. There is a vicious cycle between obesity and sleep apnea. Therefore, as obesity increases, the severity of sleep apnea increases, and as the severity of sleep apnea increases, weight increases.
Definitive diagnosis is made by sleep test.
If people with a body mass index of 35 and above have snoring, excessive daytime sleepiness and fatigue, or have shortness of breath during sleep, they should immediately consult a specialist in sleep disorders. In order to diagnose sleep apnea, a physical examination of the patient should be performed in addition to the patient's complaints. In addition, blood tests, tests showing thyroid functions, blood pressure measurement, heart and lung examinations give an idea about the presence of the disease. The definitive diagnosis is made by polysomnography (PSG), that is, the sleep test. For the sleep test, the patient is hospitalized overnight in the sleep center, and brain activity, depth of sleep, heart and respiratory function, blood oxygen levels, snoring and involuntary leg movements are recorded during sleep. If the presence of sleep apnea is determined as a result of the sleep test, the disease can be treated with appropriate methods. After the disease is treated effectively, a person can lose their weight permanently.
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