Sleep apnea is a condition that causes a momentary pause in breathing or a very shallow breath during sleep, causing snoring and a small relaxing rest that doesn’t allow you to regain energy. Thus, in addition to daytime sleepiness, this disease causes symptoms such as difficulty concentrating, headaches, irritability and even impotence.
Sleep apnea occurs due to airway obstruction due to deregulation of the Pharise muscles. In addition, there are lifestyle habits that increase the risk of developing obstructive sleep apnea, such as being overweight, drinking, smoking, and sleeping pills.
- This sleep disorder should be treated by improving lifestyle habits and using an oxygen mask that pushes air into the airways and facilitates breathing.
To identify obstructive sleep apnea, the following symptoms should be considered:
This disease occurs due to a narrowing of the airways, in the area of the nose and throat, which is mainly caused by a deregulation of muscle activity in the area of the throat called pharynx, which may be excessively relaxed or narrow during breathing. Treatment is done by a pneumologist, who may recommend a device called CPAP or, in some cases, surgery.
It is most common in people over the age of 50, and the number and intensity of symptoms vary depending on the severity of apnea, which is influenced by factors such as overweight and the anatomy of the person’s airways, for example.
See also other diseases that cause excessive sleep and fatigue
The definitive diagnosis of sleep apnea syndrome is made with polysomnography, which is a test that analyzes sleep quality, measures brain waves, movements of the respiratory muscles, the amount of air that enters and leaves during breathing, as well as the amount of oxygen in the blood. . This test is used to identify both apnea and other sleep-interfering conditions. Learn more about how polysomnography is performed.
In addition, the doctor will evaluate the patient’s medical history and examine the lungs, face, throat and neck, which can also help differentiate types of apnea.
There are 3 main types of sleep apnea, which can be
There are also cases of temporary apnea, which can occur in people with inflammation of the tonsils, tumors or polyps in the area, for example, which may interfere with the passage of air during breathing.
To treat sleep apnea, there are some alternatives:
Signs of improvement may take a few weeks to notice, but you may already see a decrease in fatigue throughout the day due to more restful sleep. Learn more about treating sleep apnea.