Sleep lab, sleep apnea testing

Who would believe that snoring can be life-threatening, especially...? sleep apnea This condition can occur at any age and is more common in men, obese individuals, those who have undergone rhinoplasty (nose, face, or chin reduction), and women who take or inject androgen hormones. These factors may increase the risk of airway collapse during sleep.

Over time, chronic diseases can develop. It's therefore not surprising that patients with sleep apnea have an increased risk of high blood pressure, heart disease, high cholesterol, diabetes, acid reflux, and stroke.

Normally, breathing is silent, but if you hear a sound when you breathe, the problem may be due to narrowed nasal passages, similar to when you have a stuffy nose from a cold, or narrowing of the throat. “"Snoring"” The cause is... “"There is a narrowing of the pharynx."” Because the throat contains the uvula, which flaps when breathing and produces the sound of snoring, this is not a normal condition for most people.

Read more: Causes of snoring.

If you experience abnormalities such as sleep apnea, low blood oxygen levels resulting in brain alertness, restless sleep, or fatigue, it indicates that your snoring is affecting your sleep and you should seek treatment. Sleep study To differentiate between simple snoring and sleep apnea, a sleep study can reveal the severity of the condition (how much breathing stops during sleep) and help doctors plan treatment.Treating patients with snoring.It's gotten better.

Furthermore, in individuals who snore after consuming alcohol within 3 hours of bedtime, it can cause increased collapse of the airway muscles. If there are no problems with drowsiness, fatigue, or cognitive decline, treatment may not be necessary, but symptoms should be monitored periodically.

People with congenital facial abnormalities, or those who undergo surgery to reduce the size of their nose, face, or chin, may be more likely to snore and experience sleep apnea because the body's anatomy changes, reducing the size of the nasal passages, mouth, and throat.

Statistics show that men experience sleep disorders more often than women. This is because androgen hormones reduce the ability of males to maintain respiratory stability compared to females, thus decreasing the chances of...Men are more likely to experience sleep apnea than women.

Furthermore, women's greater physical tolerance means that symptoms of abnormalities are often less apparent. Instead, they may experience minor symptoms such as insomnia, increased forgetfulness, fatigue, or depression, while still being able to perform daily activities.

so “"sex"” Therefore, this is another factor that contributes to sleep disorders. Even in women, high levels of male hormones androgens increase the likelihood of sleep apnea.

in addition “"age"” Comparing younger and older individuals, particularly those aged 65 and above, the percentage of sleep apnea increases with age.

Another risk factor is... “"fat"” Increased fat accumulation, both inside the throat and around the neck, can compress the airway during sleep. Genetic factors also play a role, such as facial structure; some people have a small or receding chin, reducing the width of the oral cavity and increasing the chance of the tongue falling backward during sleep, thus preventing airway obstruction. Some individuals may also have genetic abnormalities unrelated to chromosomes.

Frequent breathing pauses stimulate the brain, leading to restless sleep and reduced ability to experience deep sleep and REM sleep (dreaming).

Each stage of sleep is related to the body's performance because... “"Light sleep"” It's just like a short break, like a midday nap. It's relaxing and refreshing. But if you... “"Deep sleep"” It will have an effect on repairing worn-out parts of the body and is related to memory, converting short-term memory into long-term memory only during deep sleep, which affects learning. “"Sleeping and dreaming"” This would be memory related to skills, such as how to drive or how to play sports.

However, people with high IQs may not feel the effects as much because they have a greater advantage than the average person. Furthermore, sleep apnea has long-term consequences, increasing the risk of high blood pressure, heart disease, high cholesterol, diabetes, acid reflux, and stroke.

Treatment methods include taking medication and using... Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) machine Each person uses different methods, or surgery, such as in cases where children have enlarged tonsils in the throat, which can cause obstruction and sleep apnea. Surgery can help, unless the person also has an abnormally severe airway muscle collapse. Or, in cases of overweight, weight loss may resolve the symptoms.

Article by Dr. Niratchada Saphanan
A neurologist specializing in epilepsy and sleep disorders.
Bangkok Hospital, Bangkok Hospital Pattaya

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