The common yet serious sleep disorder hiding behind loud snores
For most of his life, Ankur Das thought snoring was what normal people did while sleeping. He felt groggy throughout the day and was able to fall asleep very easily at any time of the day.This meant trouble for him only when he got married and his wife complained of the loud snores, frequent wake-ups to use the bathroom, and a constant struggle with weight issues.advertisementSadly, over 104 million Indians have the same problem as Ankur, a condition known as Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA).
According to a 2023 AIIMS study, published in the peer-reviewed journal Sleep Medicine, 11% of Indians suffer from OSA: 13% in men and 5% in women."Obstructive sleep apnea is considered one of the single most important causes of coronary artery disease in recent times," according to Dr. Sarmishtha Bandyopadhyay, a senior ear, nose and throat specialist at Neotia Mediplus OPD and Diagnostics Clinic.WHAT IS OBSTRUCTIVE SLEEP APNEA?Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) is a condition where a person stops breathing for short periods while sleeping because their airway gets blocked.
According to a 2023 AIIMS study, published in the peer-reviewed journal Sleep Medicine, 11% of Indians suffer from OSA: 13% in men and 5% in women. ()
advertisementWhen you sleep, the muscles in your throat relax. But in some people, these relaxed muscles collapse too much or the tongue falls back, blocking the airflow.This makes the person stop breathing for a few seconds, sometimes many times, during the night.The brain notices the lack of oxygen and briefly wakes the person up to breathe again, often without them realising it. As a result, people with OSA snore loudly (a common sign), feel very tired during the day, may wake up gasping or choking at night, and may have headaches or trouble concentrating.It's like your body keeps hitting a pause button on breathing during sleep, which messes up your rest and affects your health over time.WHY SHOULD WE TAKE SNORING SERIOUSLY?If you thought snoring was just a harmless, if annoying, nighttime quirk, think again. OSA, a serious sleep disorder, can silently wreak havoc on your health. It is linked to high blood pressure, heart disease and stroke, type 2 diabetes, weight gain, and metabolic issues.It also causes cognitive decline and memory problems."Obstructive sleep apnea puts your heart under stress because your oxygen levels keep dipping throughout the night. Over time, this leads to long-term cardiovascular strain," added Dr. Bandyopadhyay.advertisementDr. Shalini Bhutta, consultant physician at Neotia Mediplus, said that through epidemiological studies, clinical observations, and mechanistic research, it has become increasingly evident that OSA is not merely a respiratory disorder but a complex condition with far-reaching implications for cardiovascular morbidity and mortality."There's mounting evidence linking it to a spectrum of cardiovascular abnormalities and adverse events," said Dr. Bhutta.Anyone can develop OSA, but certain factors such as being overweight or obese, having a large neck size, family history of sleep apnea, smoking or alcohol use, and nasal congestion or structural issues like a deviated septum can lead to it.While men are more commonly affected than women, post-menopausal women have also been showing rising rates.Usually, a sleep test (polysomnography) helps diagnose the condition, following which most doctors recommend using a CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) machine.
A CPAP machine helps treat obstructive sleep apnea. ()
The CPAP machine gently blows air through a mask worn over the nose or mouth. This keeps the airway open, so breathing doesn't stop during sleep—thus preventing snoring and improving sleep quality.advertisementIn critical cases, surgery is required to remove tissue from the back of the mouth and top of the throat.Besides this, lifestyle changes such as losing weight, sleeping on your side, avoiding alcohol or sedatives, and treating nasal congestion can help.If left untreated, obstructive sleep apnea can affect the heart, brain, metabolism, and overall quality of life.If loud snoring comes with daytime tiredness or disrupted sleep, it's worth checking out. Hectic schedules and busy lifestyles have resulted in poor sleep patterns in India, making OSA one of the most under-checked and overlooked causes of heart disease and diabetes.Experts stressed that better sleep isn't just about rest, it's about long-term health.
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