Expert Explains: What is Sleep Apnea

Sleep apnea is a condition in which you stop breathing while you sleep.

Breathing usually stops for more than 10 seconds and then resumes.

This cycle may repeat several times during the night.

How to tell if you have sleep apnea

As a rule, sleep apnea in adults is associated with snoring: a person snores evenly for some time, then there is silence, lasting about 5-10 seconds, followed by a loud snore, and the sleeper begins to toss and turn restlessly.

Why does sleep apnea occur

Obstructive sleep apnea occurs due to the temporary collapse of the soft tissues of the upper respiratory tract during inspiration.

This causes air to stop flowing into the lungs (obstruction occurs), and the person begins to snore.

Why is sleep apnea dangerous

Impaired night breathing can lead to dangerous consequences such as nocturnal stroke or heart attack.

Ignoring obstructive apnea syndrome is dangerous for the development of other health problems, in particular, neurological disorders.

Is the pathology treatable

Obstructive sleep apnea and snoring are treatable once the causes are identified.

For this purpose, comprehensive diagnostics are carried out.

All treatment options boil down to increasing the tone of the soft tissues of the pharynx and eliminating factors that lead to narrowing of the airway.

• Related news:
• health
• sleep
• facts
• 13 September 2023

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