Sleep Apnea: Causes, Remedies, and Prevention

Cause

Among the main causes of sleep apnea are:

• Obesity and overweight
• Menopause, and in fact sleep apnea affects women more than men
• Obstruction of the upper airway, i.e. nose, mouth and throat
• Excessive consumption of alcoholic beverages before going to sleep
• Assumption of sleeping pills
• Tendency to snore

Symptoms

The most common symptoms of sleep apnea are easily recognizable.

• Drowsiness during the day
• Headache
• Dry mouth upon waking up
• Sudden awakenings during the night with the sensation of suffocation, also combined with excessive
  night sweats
• Nighttime urination
• Difficulty concentrating throughout the day, from the moment of waking up onwards
• Thirst and sore throat
• Depression
• Nightmares and sleepwalking
• Loud and irregular snoring

Diagnosis

First of all, it must be clarified that this is only obstructive sleep apnea syndrome. when the number of apneas is equal to or greater than 5 episodes per hour, or in the event that there are a number of episodes equal to or greater than 15 accompanied by evident respiratory efforts.

The diagnosis is made starting from the patient's symptoms and from PartnerTo obtain tangible evidence, the specialist may request specific, non-invasive tests:

• La polysomnography: a test that allows you to measure breathing, the level of oxygenation of the blood, the heart rate, sleeping posture and chest capacity, so as to monitor the parameters during sleep.
• La respiratory polygraphy: is a type of test that monitors signals relating to cardiac and respiratory activity during sleep.

Additionally, if necessary, your doctor may request a electroencephalogram or electromyography of the limbs.

Remedies

First of all, for some people, it's possible to resolve the problem through behavioral therapy. Indeed, in patients who are overweight or obese, weight loss is often the solution that can completely or partially resolve sleep apnea.

Behavioral therapy can also have a significant impact by correcting some unhealthy behaviors, such as alcohol consumption, smoking, and irregular sleeping patterns. The recommendation is to avoid or completely eliminate alcohol and smoking, especially if you have problems like sleep apnea, and to learn to sleep at the right hours by following a consistent schedule.

Sometimes, it might just be the position that creates the problem. Often, in fact, it is the supine position when sleeping, which can cause the disorder, even for genetic reasons. Correcting this behavior can help reduce or completely resolve sleep apnea syndrome.

Furthermore, those who suffer from sleep apnea should avoid large meals during the day or meals or snacks at night. Those who suffer from this disorder should also avoid fatty foods, such as butter, cured meats, red meats, carbonated drinks, and any other foods that can in any way contribute to the gastroesophageal reflux.

Recommended foods

• Whole grains
• fresh fruit
• Vegetables, preferably green leafy ones
• Highly digestible foods: quinoa, rice and buckwheat,
• Chamomile or herbal teas of valerian (improve sleep quality)
• Evening primrose or evening primrose essential oils lavender essence (anti-inflammatory benefits on the respiratory tract)

A diet rich in antioxidant foods can help keep the disease under control.

Oils and herbal teas

Cure

There are various treatments for sleep apnea, but not all of them are truly effective. Let's find out what they are and why some of them fail.

Positive pressure respirators

A positive-pressure ventilator is a noninvasive medical device used during sleep for patients with moderate to severe sleep apnea. It consists of a nose mask that forces air to pass through the nose, the area where the apnea most often occurs.

Prosthetic-orthodontic therapy

In this case, prosthetic-orthodontic therapy aims to force the mandible forward in patients whose jaws are too small. This serves to increase the retropharyngeal space and thus reduce the obstruction that causes sleep apnea, improving airflow.

Pharmacological therapy

Although there is extensive scientific research in the field, currently available medications are not effective for the disorder itself, but rather for its effects on the body. This means that the medications on the market, in addition to being few in number, only affect related symptoms such as fatigue and daytime drowsiness. These solutions are often combined with prosthetic and ventilatory therapy.

Surgical therapy

In conclusion, in very exceptional cases, surgery may be necessary. Surgery involves removing specific sections of bone, often involving septoplasty or turbinate reduction. In children, upon the advice of an ENT specialist, tonsils or adenoids may be removed if obstruction or problems arise.

Prevention

The first step in preventing sleep apnea early, before it becomes dangerous, is to recognize the disorder and adjust accordingly, with the help of your doctor. Then there are the necessary behaviors for prevention:

• Keeping your body weight under control
• Don't go to sleep immediately after eating
• Sleeping on your side
• Avoid alcoholic drinks before going to sleep and sleeping pills, and choose only natural remedies for
  promote sleep
• Eat little in the evening hours and especially at dinner
•  Relaxation techniquesMeditation, progressive muscle relaxation, or other stress-reduction techniques can improve sleep quality and reduce the risk of sleep apnea related to muscle tension.
• Throat exercises: known as “oropharyngeal exercises,” they can strengthen the muscles of the throat and tongue, improving breathing and thus reducing the risk of sleep apnea.

Pill that detects sleep apnea

Sleep apnea and Alzheimer's

Recent studies have demonstrated the close relationship between untreated sleep apnea and cognitive deficits. In particular, a French study published in the journal Neurology highlights the increased risk of dementia and decreased cognitive function associated with sleep apnea. the memory and the same brain volume. Furthermore, people who are in the very early stages ofAlzheimer become more vulnerable, with a probable worsening of the disease, following sleep apnea.

Read also:

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• The most effective methods for getting children to sleep
• Foods that help you sleep: from legumes to fish
• How to sleep well in summer
• Why sleeping with the light on is bad for you