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If you have sleep apnea, then you probably already know that it’s a serious health risk. But now there’s new evidence that might help in the fight against this health threat.

 

 

Sleep apnea is a very common disorder these days. Millions of people are affected by it every night. This is a problem because it’s linked to some very serious health problems and diseases. However, there is now new evidence that could suggest easier ways to diagnose and treat this disorder. This is vitally important because it’s such a threat to so many people. If you or someone you know suffers from sleep apnea, here’s what you need to know about it.

 

What is Sleep Apnea?

Sleep apnea is a disorder that causes people’s breathing to stop when they sleep. And this doesn’t just happen once. People with this disorder can stop breathing hundreds of times during the night. The problem with this is obvious. When you’re not breathing, your brain and body aren’t getting oxygen. And this can result in cell death and a variety of health problems.

 

There are two main types of sleep apnea, which are:

 

• Obstructive sleep apnea.

This is caused by a blockage of the airways, usually by the soft tissue at the back of the throat. It’s the most common type of sleep apnea.

 

• Central sleep apnea.

This is less common and occurs when the respiratory control center in the brain is unstable. Basically, this instability means that the brain fails to tell the muscles to breathe.

 

Both types of sleep apnea are equally dangerous and equally hard to treat. This is partly because there’s no one known cause for the disorder. However, there are several risk factors you should be aware of.

 

Risk Factors for Sleep Apnea

Anyone can get sleep apnea, from children to the elderly, but there are several factors that can make it more likely. These include:

 

• Gender, with males being more likely to suffer from it.
• Excess weight.
• A large neck.
• A family history of sleep apnea.
• Large tonsils or tongue which can block the airway.
• Nasal obstructions because of allergies or other sinus problems.
• A small jaw bone.

 

If you have any or all these health risk factors, then it’s worth reducing them where possible. This will help you avoid the health problems associated with sleep apnea.

 

Health Problems Associated with Sleep Apnea

Sleep apnea is a serious health risk that can affect the quality of your life overall. It’s been connected to an increased risk of car accidents, and poor academic and work performances. It may also increase your risk of other health threats such as:

 

• Heart failure and heart attacks.
• High blood pressure.
• Irregular heartbeats.
• Type II diabetes.

 

So, if you think you may have sleep apnea, it’s important that you get it checked with your doctor immediately.

 

A New Way to Detect Sleep Apnea

One of the problems with sleep apnea is that it can be very hard to detect and diagnose. Usually it’s diagnosed in a special sleep lab over a period of several nights. This is not an easy process and it’s also quite expensive. And it doesn’t help with the diagnosis of patients who don’t have obvious signs of sleep apnea. As a result, research into better ways to diagnose this disorder are ongoing and very important.

 

A recent study into sleep apnea has revealed something new. The researchers used CTs and MRIs to image the mouth and airway during snoring and sleep apnea episodes. The researchers wanted to gain a deeper understanding of the physical mechanisms behind snoring. They found that a normal airway was very smooth and didn’t vibrate much during sleep. But people with sleep apnea had airways that vibrated. These vibrations became bigger and bigger as they slept. And eventually, the walls of the airway came together and caused obstruction.

 

This suggests that these vibrations can be used to identify sleep apnea before it starts. And in the future, this could open up new and more effective treatment avenues.

 

The Takeaway

If you have sleep apnea, it’s important that you see your doctor and learn about your treatment options. This will help you lower your health risk and enjoy a better quality of life. In the future, this new study may allow for more reliable testing, diagnosis and treatment of sleep apnea. One day, your smart device could have a program that senses the vibrations of your airways and intervenes when they approach the threshold for airway collapse.

 

But until that happens, you need to rely on less precise measures. Your family members are a good source for information about your sleeping habits. Your partner in particular will know if you snore and if the noise is getting worse. Snoring is strongly connected to sleep apnea, so see your doctor if they start complaining about this problem. Another way to unearth signs of sleep apnea is to monitor your oxygen levels throughout the night with a pulse oximeter. This is less effective with mild cases of sleep apnea, which is why more effective and easier ways to diagnose this disorder must be found.

 

 

 

If you’re concerned about a health risk, try using HomeLab to keep track of your condition and any preventative measures you take. And if you see signs of a significant problem, you should check with your doctor as soon as possible.

 

 

Tag: health risk, sleep, sleep apnea