Sleep Apnea: Are You At Risk? Here's What To Do
10 Factors that put you at risk of sleep apnea & how to reduce them
1. Excess weight
Obesity, especially around the neck, increases fat deposits that can obstruct breathing. Adopt a healthy diet, engage in regular physical activity, and aim for gradual weight loss. Even a small reduction in weight can significantly improve symptoms.
2. Neck circumference
A larger neck (over 17 inches in men and 16 inches in women) can narrow the airway. Strengthen and tone neck and throat muscles through targeted exercises and manage overall body fat to reduce neck size.
3. A Narrowed airway
Inherited traits like a narrow throat, enlarged tonsils, or adenoids can block airflow. ENT evaluation may help; in some cases, surgery or use of devices like CPAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure) may be recommended.
4. Being male
Men are more likely to develop sleep apnea than women. While gender can't be changed, men should be more vigilant about symptoms and seek early testing and treatment.
5. Older age
Sleep apnea is more common as people age, due to muscle tone loss in the throat. While age can't be altered, good sleep hygiene and lifestyle changes can minimise the severity of symptoms.
6. Family history
Genetics can play a role in your risk of developing sleep apnea.
Reduce risk: Stay informed about your family medical history and monitor symptoms closely for early diagnosis.
7. Use of alcohol or sedatives
These substances relax throat muscles, increasing the risk of airway obstruction. Limit or avoid alcohol and sedative medications, especially before bedtime.
8. Smoking
Smokers have higher rates of sleep apnea due to increased inflammation and fluid retention in the airway. Quitting smoking can significantly improve breathing during sleep and enhance overall respiratory health.
9. Nasal congestion
Difficulty breathing through the nose due to allergies or structural issues can increase risk.
Reduce risk: Use nasal sprays, allergy treatments, or consider surgery if chronic congestion is an issue.
10. Medical conditions
Conditions like high blood pressure, diabetes, and PCOS are linked to a higher risk of sleep apnea. Manage chronic conditions effectively through medication, diet, and regular check-ups to prevent sleep apnea from worsening.
By identifying these risk factors and making conscious lifestyle changes, you can significantly reduce your likelihood of developing sleep apnea or manage its impact more effectively. If symptoms persist, it's important to consult a sleep specialist for accurate diagnosis and treatment options.
Disclaimer: This content including advice provides generic information only. It is in no way a substitute for a qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist or your own doctor for more information. NDTV does not claim responsibility for this information.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Indian Express
12-08-2025
- Indian Express
Sleep apnea keeping you breathless and sleepless? Try blowing a conch shell, says study
When a 42-year-old man came in with snoring so severe that he had to sleep in another room so as not to disturb his wife and woke up in fits and starts, Dr Rajeev Gupta put him through a sleep test. The man was found to be suffering from obstructive sleep apnea, a disorder where your upper airway repeatedly becomes blocked or narrowed during sleep because of flaccid throat muscles and reduces oxygen flow in the blood. Dr Gupta recommended a sleep aid that forces the airways open but his patient could not just adapt to it. So he put him on a conch shell-blowing routine, twice daily, with a trainer. Within 12 months of this drill, regular walking and a low fat diet, the man's snoring subsided, his daytime sleepiness went down and his throat muscles became stronger. 'I gathered anecdotal evidence through all my patient outcomes and then decided to do a clinical trial on effects of conch shell-blowing on sleep apnea. Already, some studies on usage of wind-blown instruments like saxophone had shown positive results in reducing symptoms like snoring and sleep-disordered breathing. This led to our hypothesis that shankh-blowing might offer similar advantages. Our trial showed promising results; patients felt more alert during the day and had fewer breathing interruptions at night after regular blowing of the shankh,' says Dr Gupta, study author and chair, Preventive Cardiology & Medicine, Eternal Heart Care Center & Research Centre, Jaipur. The study by Dr Gupta and his colleagues has just been published in the European Respiratory Journal Open Research. Though small, it is significant because it eliminates the need for bulky breathing devices like the CPAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure) machine, which is the gold standard treatment. Conch shell-blowing can even be used as complementary therapy. 'We tested this technique on 30 patients. Now we need to confirm the results through larger, longer-term, multi-centre studies in India and other countries to assess sustained benefits,' adds Dr Gupta. Excerpts: What did the study find? We divided 30 patients into two groups; 14 were trained to blow a conch shell twice daily for a total of 10-15 minutes (with 30 seconds of blowing into the shell and gaps to draw in fresh air) while 16 practised deep breathing exercises. After six months, those in the conch shell group showed a 34 per cent improvement in sleep, better sleep quality, lower daytime sleepiness and better oxygen saturation. The hypoxia index, which is a measure of the severity and duration of oxygen deficiency in the body, decreased by 4.4 events. In terms of overall sleep hygiene, 30 per cent in the conch shell-blowing group showed marked improvement compared to the five per cent improvement in the control group. Why conch shell-blowing is effective As we fall asleep, all our muscles relax naturally, including those in the throat. But in obstructive sleep apnea, the same muscles relax too much, causing the soft tissues in the back of the throat, such as the tongue, palate and tonsils to collapse and narrow or completely close the airway. This disrupts breathing in patients and forces them to wake up intermittently in the night, gasping for fresh air. Conch shell-blowing involves breathing in deeply and exhaling into a spiral-shaped shell. This action creates strong vibrations and airflow resistance, which strengthens both the tongue and throat muscles and prevents them from collapsing easily. This is a far easier drill to follow twice a day than remaining hooked to a CPAP machine, which delivers a continuous stream of pressurised air through a mask worn over the nose or mouth, keeping the airways open during sleep and preventing pauses in breathing. The patient has to maintain the same sleeping posture. How have the results held in patients who were not part of the study? I had first discussed the concept in an article published in the RUHS Journal of Health Sciences in 2018. Privately, I recommended it to patients of sleep apnea who somehow could not take to the CPAP machine. So going by anecdotal evidence, the conch shell-blowing patients have been able to stay up to four years off the CPAP machine. Can conch shell-blowing be a reliable therapy? If the results hold in larger trials, it can. It will be a cheap and at-home option for the billion people who suffer from sleep apnea.
Time of India
31-07-2025
- Time of India
Health dept proposes to increase MBBS seats at GMC from 200 to 250
Porvorim: The directorate of health services has proposed to increase the number of MBBS seats at the GMC from the current 200 to 250, said health minister Vishwajit Rane on Thursday. He also said govt is working on a proposal to set up a nursing college at the South Goa District Hospital. Rane said that the two initiatives, if implemented, will create new opportunities for Goan youth in the healthcare sector. He was speaking in the legislative assembly during the discussion for demand for grants for the healthcare sector, including the GMC. The minister also said govt plans to constitute an expert committee headed by the chief minister comprising specialist doctors who can provide advice on policies for the healthcare sector, emergency medicine protocols and casualty management. 'We are suggesting a dedicated command centre for the 108 ambulance service. We have close to 100 ambulances. We want to create a dedicated fleet of ambulances for VIP movement,' the inister said. Stating that cancer is growing at a 'galloping pace' in Goa, Rane said the state cancer institute's tie-up with the Tata Memorial Hospital will provide Goans with better treatment options at a much more affordable rates. Rane also said the plan is to operate the state cancer institute along the lines of a trust. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Experience next-level CPAP comfort with Resmed AirSense 11 ResMed Enquire Now Undo ______________ Mental health cases on upswing since '22 Porvorim: Mental health cases reported at Goa's two main district hospitals — Asilo at Mapusa and Hospicio in Margao — have shown a consistent year-on-year increase since April 2022. Monthly footfall crossed 1,000 in several months, state govt informed the assembly on Thursday. People in the 19-59 age group and senior citizens (60 and above) constituted the majority of the patients, health minister Vishwajit Rane stated. Minors (up to 18 years) accounted for a smaller but a steady share of the caseload. The number of women seeking mental health services surpassed that of men. The 19-59 group consistently made up over 60% of the cases each month. TNN
NDTV
18-06-2025
- NDTV
Sleep Apnea: Are You At Risk? Here's What To Do
Sleep apnea is a common but serious sleep disorder in which a person's breathing repeatedly stops and starts during sleep. The most prevalent type, obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), occurs when throat muscles relax and block the airway. This leads to poor sleep quality, loud snoring, daytime fatigue, and can increase the risk of conditions like high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes, and depression. You may be at risk if you snore loudly, wake up gasping, feel excessively tired during the day, or have a partner who notices pauses in your breathing at night. Identifying your risk factors can help in early detection and prevention. Read on as we share factors that put you at risk of sleep apnea and how to overcome these factors. 10 Factors that put you at risk of sleep apnea & how to reduce them 1. Excess weight Obesity, especially around the neck, increases fat deposits that can obstruct breathing. Adopt a healthy diet, engage in regular physical activity, and aim for gradual weight loss. Even a small reduction in weight can significantly improve symptoms. 2. Neck circumference A larger neck (over 17 inches in men and 16 inches in women) can narrow the airway. Strengthen and tone neck and throat muscles through targeted exercises and manage overall body fat to reduce neck size. 3. A Narrowed airway Inherited traits like a narrow throat, enlarged tonsils, or adenoids can block airflow. ENT evaluation may help; in some cases, surgery or use of devices like CPAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure) may be recommended. 4. Being male Men are more likely to develop sleep apnea than women. While gender can't be changed, men should be more vigilant about symptoms and seek early testing and treatment. 5. Older age Sleep apnea is more common as people age, due to muscle tone loss in the throat. While age can't be altered, good sleep hygiene and lifestyle changes can minimise the severity of symptoms. 6. Family history Genetics can play a role in your risk of developing sleep apnea. Reduce risk: Stay informed about your family medical history and monitor symptoms closely for early diagnosis. 7. Use of alcohol or sedatives These substances relax throat muscles, increasing the risk of airway obstruction. Limit or avoid alcohol and sedative medications, especially before bedtime. 8. Smoking Smokers have higher rates of sleep apnea due to increased inflammation and fluid retention in the airway. Quitting smoking can significantly improve breathing during sleep and enhance overall respiratory health. 9. Nasal congestion Difficulty breathing through the nose due to allergies or structural issues can increase risk. Reduce risk: Use nasal sprays, allergy treatments, or consider surgery if chronic congestion is an issue. 10. Medical conditions Conditions like high blood pressure, diabetes, and PCOS are linked to a higher risk of sleep apnea. Manage chronic conditions effectively through medication, diet, and regular check-ups to prevent sleep apnea from worsening. By identifying these risk factors and making conscious lifestyle changes, you can significantly reduce your likelihood of developing sleep apnea or manage its impact more effectively. If symptoms persist, it's important to consult a sleep specialist for accurate diagnosis and treatment options. Disclaimer: This content including advice provides generic information only. It is in no way a substitute for a qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist or your own doctor for more information. NDTV does not claim responsibility for this information.
