Understanding Sleep Apnea: A Hidden Health Threat!

Did you know that several Indian celebrities have struggled with Sleep Apnea? Big names like Bappi Lahiri and Badshah have faced this condition. Bappi Lahiri, the legendary singer and music composer, even lost his life in 2022 due to complications from Sleep Apnea. This isn't just about celebrities—Sleep Apnea can affect anyone.

What is Sleep Apnea?

Sleep apnea is a condition where your breathing stops and starts repeatedly while you are asleep. This happens because your airway gets blocked. When the airway gets blocked, oxygen levels in the body drop causing the person to wake up and begin breathing normally again. These awakenings are often very brief, sometimes only a few seconds, interrupting the sleep cycle.

How to find out Sleep Apnea?

Before seeing a doctor, you can take the first step by using our Sleep Calculator to understand your sleep patterns better. It can help you determine if you might be at risk for Sleep Apnea.

To confirm Sleep Apnea, doctors usually recommend a sleep study called Polysomnography (PSG). This test monitors:

• Brain waves
• Blood oxygen levels
• Heart rate and breathing
• Eye and leg movements.

However, this sleep test itself does not provide the location of the obstruction, so further evaluation of the upper airway are necessary to identify potential sites of blockage. These include:

i) Nasopharyngoscopy: A procedure in which a flexible fiberoptic endoscope is introduced through the nose and throat to observe structures that narrow the airway and compromises airflow.

ii) Sleep endoscopy is similar to Nasopharyngoscopy, however performed under mild sedation. The objective of this test is to reproduce what occurs to the patient's upper airway in a sleep state, and identify areas and structures causing the obstruction.

Treating Sleep Apnea

There are some non-surgical and surgical treatment options to treat Sleep Apnea. These include:

Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) machine: This machine blows air into your nose and mouth to keep your airway open. This method might involve, losing weight, avoiding alcohol, and sleeping on your side to help further.

Surgery: In some cases, surgery can be helpful to improve airway.

If you think you might have Sleep Apnea, don't ignore the signs. 936 million people worldwide are suffering from mild to severe Sleep Apnea, yet many remain undiagnosed. Talk to your doctor and take the first step towards better sleep and a healthier life.

Source:-1. https://stanfordhealthcare.org/medical-conditions/sleep/obstructive-sleep-apnea/treatments.html 

               2. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31300334/