Pulmo Sleep Center Eliksir

Did you know that one in twenty people worldwide suffers from sleep apnea? That’s 5% of the global population, and this disorder is the leading cause of death that occurs during sleep.

What exactly is sleep apnea?

Sleep apnea represents a temporary interruption in breathing while we sleep, usually lasting more than ten seconds. This diagnosis must be made by a doctor, so it does not necessarily mean you have sleep apnea if you briefly stop breathing in your sleep. However, it is recommended that you consult your doctor in such situations to avoid consequences that can sometimes be fatal.

Sleep apnea can be described as forgetting to breathe during sleep. Although it seems impossible since breathing is natural, this phenomenon does occur. The person usually does not realize this has happened, and it is often reported by a partner.

Loud breathing during sleep, snoring, can also be very irritating, disrupting a spouse and creating a shared problem.

The main characteristic of the disorder is that there is a reduced airflow through the airways, lasting, as mentioned, for more than ten seconds. It is known that a person cannot survive without air and oxygen for more than 14 seconds, leading to various potential damages.

There are several types of sleep apnea disorders.

These include:

Obstructive sleep apnea, where the airways are partially or completely blocked, while the respiratory muscles are still functioning;

Central sleep apnea is characterized by the respiratory muscles not responding to impulses from the breathing center. That is, the muscles responsible for breathing do not function here;

Complex sleep apnea is a combination of the first two types described. It starts as central and develops into obstructive sleep apnea during sleep.

Diagnosing sleep apnea involves determining that airflow is reduced by more than fifty percent during sleep, as well as through the AHI index, which is the sum of the number of apneas and hypopneas per hour of sleep. Hypopnea is a condition where the airflow through the airways is less than 50%.

The loud signal for a silent killer—that is the term for sleep apnea disorder. It is said to be a loud signal due to the sounds heard during sleep, which should be taken as a warning. You should consult a doctor immediately to confirm or rule out the disorder. Do not leave it to chance and hope it will resolve on its own, because it won’t.

Consulting a doctor in time is a very important step and decision that can save your life, as we mentioned at the beginning of the text, sleep apnea is the leading cause of death during sleep. Think about your health in time, and if your spouse has noticed that you are snoring loudly while sleeping and that there are interruptions, then visiting a doctor is your best decision.

Treatment varies: for anatomical deformities, surgery is recommended, and for moderate and severe forms, the only effective solution is using a CPAP device. It is good to know that the first results are visible after just a few nights.

However, not everyone who snores loudly while sleeping will receive a diagnosis of sleep apnea. Whether this is the case or not will be determined by the relevant doctor.