FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM JUNE 17, 2021 • WELLNESS • THE QUEENS COURIER 49
wellness
Know the warning signs of sleep apnea
Sleep is essential for everyone. It’s what
allows the body and the mind to recharge
at the end of every day. Without suffi cient,
healthy sleep, the brain and the body cannot
function properly, so it’s important to
recognize signs that you might not be getting
quality sleep.
Nearly 70% of Americans who sleep
with a bed partner report that their partner
snores while sleeping, according to a
2021 survey by the American Academy
of Sleep Medicine (AASM). Many don’t
realize that a snore can be more than just
a noisy nuisance. Snoring can be an indicator
of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), a
sleep disorder that can be dangerous to
your health when left untreated.
What is Obstructive
Sleep Apnea?
Nearly 30 million U.S. adults have
obstructive sleep apnea, which repeatedly
causes breathing disruptions during
sleep. Currently, there are about 23.5 million
obstructive sleep apnea cases that are
undiagnosed.
With OSA, the airway repeatedly
becomes entirely or partially blocked, limiting
the amount of air that reaches the
lungs. When this happens, patients may
snore or make choking noises. Th e brain
and body experience severe decreases in
oxygen fl ow, causing multiple arousals
from sleep during the night. In more
severe cases, these arousals can occur several
hundred times a night. Individuals
may be completely unaware of experiencing
these episodes while sleeping.
“While not everyone who snores has
sleep apnea, snoring is a warning sign that
should be taken seriously,” said AASM
President Dr. Kannan Ramar. “If your
bed partner snores, or if you’ve been told
that you snore, then it is important to talk
to a medical provider about screening
or testing for sleep apnea. Treatment for
obstructive sleep apnea can improve overall
health and quality of life.”
Snoring is just one of
the symptoms
In the same survey, a quarter of
Americans admitted they were not familiar
with OSA; nearly half acknowledged
they do not know the symptoms of the
disease.
Warning signs to be aware of:
Snoring: Snoring between apneas is
typically noticed by a bed partner.
Choking or gasping during sleep:
When snoring is paired with choking,
gasping or silent breathing pauses during
sleep, it’s a reliable indicator of sleep
apnea.
Fatigue or daytime sleepiness:
Excessive daytime sleepiness oft en occurs
because sleep apnea causes numerous
arousals throughout the night, preventing
your body from getting the high-quality
sleep it needs.
Obesity: An adult with a body mass
index (BMI) of 30 or higher is considered
to be obese and the risk of sleep apnea
increases with the amount of excess body
weight.
High blood pressure: Between 30 and
40 percent of adults with high blood pressure
also have sleep apnea.
Other common symptoms of OSA
include:
• Unrefreshing sleep
• Insomnia
• Morning headaches
• Nocturia (waking during the night to go
to the bathroom)
• Diffi culty concentrating
• Memory loss
• Decreased sexual desire
• Irritability
• Diffi culty staying awake, particularly
when watching TV or driving
“Delaying treatment for sleep apnea
can lead to more serious health problems,”
added Ramar. “Fortunately, many
of the damaging eff ects of sleep apnea can
be stopped, and even reversed, through
diagnosis and treatment by the sleep
team at an accredited sleep center, where
patients receive care in safe and comfortable
accommodations.”
Treating sleep apnea
improves quality of life
Sleep apnea is typically treated using
continuous positive airway pressure
(CPAP) therapy. Th is therapy keeps the
airway open during the night by providing
a gentle air stream through a mask
worn while sleeping. Using CPAP can
improve your overall quality of life by
enhancing sleep quality and boosting daytime
alertness, concentration and mood.
It can also decrease medical expenses and
improve both your brain and your heart
health. Alternative treatments include
positional therapy, oral appliance therapy
and surgery.
For more information or to fi nd an
accredited sleep center, visit sleepeducation.
org. To access the AASM 2021
Sleep Prioritization Survey, visit aasm.
org/about/newsroom/.
— Courtesy of BPT
/WWW.QNS.COM
